Mrs. Juanita Owens

On August 8, 1936, Juanita Owens was born in Chicago, Illinois. Juanita attended Willard Elementary School and Englewood High School in Chicago. As a small child, Juanita would love to spend her summers with the extended family in Memphis, Tennessee and the love for that travel would continue well into her adulthood when she would be able to travel with her daughter and her father. As an elementary school student, Juanita “Nene” was already recognized for her musical abilities and in high school her career goal was to be an opera singer. With vigor and enthusiasm, she studied with world renowned opera coaches, but as life would have it, Juanita had a different plan “Here comes the bride”. Psalms 127:3 states: “Look! Sons are an inheritance from Jehovah; the fruit of the womb is a reward.” Soon after she was married, they would welcome their blessings, six loving daughters and lastly one cherished son. Juanita was a loving mother and grandmother, great grandmother, and yes great-great grandmother. Nene lived life to the fullest! She was the one you wanted to be at every gathering. Her presence meant an amazing time was on the horizon! The Shutterbug Queen may not have lived out her dream of becoming an opera virtuoso, but her knowledge of music would take you all around the globe from Ray Charles, Sam Cook, Nina Simone, Smokey Robinson, Hooked on Classics, Pavarotti and Madam Butterfly, just to name of few, you literally could experience all of this in one night. Juanita was a lover of people and her careers expressed that. For many years Juanita was a home care worker nursing friends, family, and neighbors back to better days and better health. She also worked as an US Postal Worker. Loved ones, it’s an understatement to say that Juanita will be missed, that’s a fact she will be, especially by her aforementioned children and her 9 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and 8 great-great grandchildren. And a host of incredibly special cousins. In closing, Juanita was our family’s Griot not telling tales of African history and folklore, but telling our family’s history! So please let her memory, stories, song, and dance continue to live long in our hearts and in our memories! Nene you are loved. Revelation 21;4 reads: “And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will morning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” So, rest Nene until the resurrection.

Tributes

Mrs. Juanita Owens

August 8, 1936 - July 12, 2021