Juanita Fern Mathews, 89, of Sedalia, passed away Wednesday, February 19, 2020 at Bothwell Regional Health Center.
She was born January 28, 1931 in Sedalia, MO, the daughter of Ross and Alpha Harkless. On June 2, 1951 she was united in marriage to Charles G. Mathews. They had 61 wonderful years together before his passing on September 26, 2012.
Juanita graduated from Cole Camp High School in 1949 and attended Central Business College. She moved to Kansas City and worked at Western Auto Supply Company as a key punch operator, a verifier, and later moved back to Sedalia and worked at Town and Country Shoes in the IMB Department. She was also a secretary to Jim Hamilton for Farmers Insurance and a caregiver for six different gracious ladies, Betty Van Dyne, Dorothy Potter, Shirley Wagner, Josephine Shipman, Agnes Dean and Henrietta Reinhart. She loved gardening and her cats. She attended Epworth United Methodist Church where she was a member for over 70 years.
She is survived by many nieces and nephews.
Juanita was preceded in death by her mother and father, Ross and Alpha Harkless; two sisters, Virginia Swope and Irene Kroenke Masek.
At her request, Juanita will be cremated and there will be no services.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Sedalia Animal Shelter or the Children’s Therapy Center, in care of Heckart Funeral Home.