Juanita Smith, who was a longtime Centralia resident, passed away peacefully on Mother’s Day, May 11, 2014.
Juanita was born in Lebam, Wash. on Feb. 23, 1913 and moved to Centralia in 1919. Along with her parents, Claude and Effie Warren, her brother, Tracy and sister, Mickey, they settled into their new home on South Pearl Street.
Her father, Claude, started a Signal Oil Distribution business in Centralia and later expanded to open Warren Brothers Chevrolet and Cadillac. He also served as Mayor of Centralia in the 1950s.
Juanita graduated from Centralia High School in 1929 and continued her education at the University of Washington, where she graduated with a degree in education in 1933. In 1936 she married Gordon H. Smith and lived in Seattle until after the end of WWII. In 1944 she returned to Centralia along with her husband and young daughter Pamela. Gordon started working at the car dealership while Juanita was busy with the family and the addition of two sons, Stu (1945) and Kevin (1949). Juanita was also very active in her local church, Centralia First Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday school and sang in the choir.
In 1954 she finally was able to put her degree in Education into fruition. She started a private kindergarten school in her home on G Street, where she taught for two years. When the Centralia School District implemented kindergarten into their curriculum they hired Juanita to teach at Edison Elementary School. She retired from teaching in 1978.
Juanita enjoyed her retirement years by traveling, spending winters in Southern California and enjoying her kids, grandkids and great-grandkids.
After Gordon passed away in 1979, she moved to Issaquah, Wash. to be closer to her family. She has never forgotten her roots in Centralia. She maintained many friendships over the years, while also attending many Centralia High School reunions. She was even invited to attend her son Kevin's 40th Class Reunion as a former teacher. Her first kindergarten class included her son Kevin and many members of the 1967 graduating class.
Juanita is survived by her three children, Pam Brown (Charlie), Issaquah, Stu (Sandy), Port Angeles and Kevin (Teri), Puyallup; six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
A memorial service in her honor will be held at University House, 22975 SE Black Nugget Rd, Issaquah, WA 98029 at 11:00 a.m. June 7, 2014.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made to: University Baptist Church, 72-700 Fred Waring Dr., Palm Desert, CA 92260, or PEO, Chapter HE, 560 Mt. Logan Dr. SW, Issaquah, WA 98027.
