June Rackley Candler

June Rackley Candler

May 10, 1933 - September 13, 2026

June Rackley Candler, 93, of Atlanta, passed away peacefully at her home on Sunday, September 13, 2026. She was born May 10, 1933, in Thomasville, Georgia, to Dr. Henry Perry "H.P." Rackley and Vallie Rhae Lindsey Rackley.

June grew up in Thomasville, where she graduated from Thomasville High School and was named the Thomasville Rose Queen of 1951 - an honor that earned her a photograph in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. As a young girl, she spent her summers in Kissimmee, Florida, working as a wrangler on a family friend's ranch. Her riding ended when a horse fell on her, but her love of horses never did. She also spent summers at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, a place she continued to spend time the rest of her life.

She went on to attend the University of Georgia, where she was President of Chi Omega sorority. During this time, June met her future husband, Asa Griggs Candler V, while he was stationed in Bainbridge, Georgia with the Air Force. The two married in 1954 and were together for 67 years until his death in 2021. They made their home in Atlanta and raised three sons - Asa VI, Dick, and Bill. June was a member of the Junior League of Atlanta and volunteered with the Atlanta Opera. She was a longtime member of Northside United Methodist Church. She and Asa flew small airplanes all over, from California to the Dominican Republic, and their travels brought them lifelong friendships in Arkansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, and California. June earned her own private pilot's license and took her youngest son, Bill, along on cross-country check flights. She thought it was a good idea to know how to land an airplane, just in case.

June had a love of cowboys and the West, and her home was filled with paintings and artwork of both, alongside the antiques she collected with a discerning eye. She had a gift for creating beautiful spaces, and she brought that same eye to her personal style.

Always impeccably put together, most days she looked as though she'd stepped out of a Ralph Lauren campaign. At June's house, a radio was always turned on to country music, and come evening, she loved settling in with a Western or Whodunit show. After dinner, there was always something sweet waiting in the kitchen, and she happily traveled to bakeries across the Southeast to pick up her favorite layer cakes. She spoke with a beautiful Southern lilt and carried herself with grace.

Above all, her greatest joy was her family. She was blessed to see her children grow and marry, and to spend time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who affectionately called her "Junebug."

She is survived by her son, Richard "Dick" Candler (Patty); her daughter-in-law, Linda Candler; her grandchildren, Asa Griggs Candler VII (Gaylie), Callan Candler Adams (Childers), Daniel Candler, William "Willie" Candler, and Vallie Candler; and her great-grandchildren, Asa Griggs Candler VIII, Bayne, Collins, and Catherine.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, Asa Griggs Candler V; her sons, Asa Griggs Candler VI and William "Bill" Rackley Candler; her daughter-in-law, Paulette Candler; her grandson, Noble Candler; her parents, Dr. H.P. Rackley and Vallie Rhae Lindsey Rackley; her brother, James "Jim" Rackley (Anne); and her sister, Joyce Overton. She died on Bill's birthday.

A graveside service will be held on September 30th, 2026 at 11:00 am at Westview Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia.  
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Northside United Methodist Church or the Chastain Park Conservancy.