Juanita exemplified the good wife during her entire marriage of 64 years, 8 months, and 25 days, from the beginning til the very end. Always, without wavering, she devoted herself to Avon. He was her one true love, and remains so still, 5 years, 6 months, and 22 days since his death. Now, I loved my father, but anyone who knew him well, knows this took an extraordinary woman to be sure.

But for Juanita, the good times outweigh the bad, even to the point of denial it might seem. She saw always the good in Avon. Through all the hard times, which I experienced as their oldest of four children and will not go into here, she held our family together. No matter the address of the house, she turned every place we lived into our home. She did so, to the best of her ability, with unimaginable grace. Grace, well-seasoned with fortitude. With her own labor-induced sweat, often times personal pain, and rarely public tears. This trait is deeply rooted in Juanita, through her strong personal belief that God is in control. This faith has served her well, sustains her still.

She lives alone, in the small apartment she loves, surrounded by good neighbors and friends. She has time now for herself. Socially, she is more active than at any other time in her adult life. She attends church functions, goes to the beauty shop regularly, loves new clothes, volunteers one day a week at the hospital, reads more, and loves visitors. She most especially enjoys time spent with her children and their families. She and her younger sister are the only siblings still living, and they talk on the phone regularly.