Juanita Grant

Juanita Grant, 91, of Liberal, passed away on Thursday March 21, 2024 at Wheatridge Care Park.

Juanita Iris Southern was born April 21, 1932, in Hooker, Oklahoma, to Chester and Iris (Mendenhall) Southern.

She attended Eureka School at Baker, Oklahoma, and graduated in1949. While in school at Baker, she met the love of her life, Chester L. Grant, known as Chet. She waited for him for four years, as he served our country in the US Army 4th Infantry Division. He was stationed at Ft. Benning, Georgia, and was later sent to Germany, where he served until his honorable discharge. Upon his return to the States, they were married on April 18, 1953 in Clayton New Mexico. Chet built a home for them to live in at Liberal, KS, as they began to share life together as Husband and Wife. Juanita worked for Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Company, Liberal, KS; she began in 1951, as she waited for Chet, to return from Germany, and continued until she had been with the company 36 years, at her retirement in 1987. At this time they lived in Hooker, Oklahoma, where Chet had built them another home. They lived many years there, loving the people and the small town atmosphere. Throughout their lives together, they traveled to every state in the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. They took cruises, and bus trips, and sometimes flying in their plane or driving themselves, sharing many memories together along the way, with each other, and also with friends, who joined them. Chet proceeded her in death on March 4, 2007. They had been married for 54 years. Juanita continued to live in their home until August of 2017, when she moved to Brookdale Senior Center in Liberal. Her macular degeneration had caused her eyesight to be very limited, and she decided to move to a smaller place, that she could become familiar with, and also have extra help. Her sister Vera Browne also moved to Brookdale, later. They enjoyed sharing many days together visiting in each other's apartments, and sitting together at meals in the dining hall until Vera passed away in 2021.

Juanita is survived by one sister, Sonia Davis, and her husband, Bob Davis; one sister in-law, Janice Grant; and many nieces and nephews.

She was also preceded in death by her parents, Chester and Iris Southern; her brother, Leon Southern, and sister, Vera Browne.

Funeral Services will be 11:00 am Thursday March 28, 2024 at the Miller Mortuary Chapel, with Pastor Tina Rickman, officiating.
Viewing will be 9:00 am until service time.
 
Juanita will be buried beside her loving husband Chet in Restlawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Liberal, KS