St. Louis, MO – After a very long goodbye, Juanita Mae (Watkins) Young, 87, passed away peacefully Monday morning December 9, 2024 at St. Sophia Health & Rehabilitation Center in Florissant, MO. She was born August 1,1937 to Mary Alice (Banter) and Cleo David Watkins, Sr. of Bono, AR. After her mother's untimely death when she was 2 months old, her father remarried giving her a caring stepmother in Minnie M. (Davis) Watkins.

She married Roy Arthur Young on July 13, 1957. Juanita was devoted to Roy and spent her life creating a home for him and their four daughters until his death in 2001. (September 26th being the same date as her mother's passing)

Juanita was raised in the country on a farm, with down to earth values and true God fearing, Jesus loving faith. She stepped out on that faith, when at the age of 19 she packed up all that upbringing and brought it with her to the big city of St. Louis, MO. Her journey was not easy, full of surprises, struggles and hard lessons. But her determination, strength, boldness and huge giving heart will be remembered by all those
who knew her. She was a tell "it like it is" woman, who rarely would sugarcoat lessons…until her great-grandchildren started to arrive, then we would notice a little more sugar at times.

She enjoyed all kinds of crafts, although she just saw it as keeping her hands busy. No time for idle hands. She would sew clothes for the family, knit afghans, make quilts, create items to help with everyday problems from things others would throw away. Today this creativity is referred to as upcycling. She did not believe in wasting money on material things. Money had a purpose, but it was not to be spent frivolously.

Roy and Juanita were long-time members of the New Hope General Baptist Church, participating in everything from Vacation Bible School and IL-MO Summer Camps to summertime softball games and the Christmas time peanut brittle making for missionary fund raising. Later they also attended Chambers Park Missionary Baptist Church for a few years, until it's merge with another church. Then they returned home to New Hope.

One of Juanita's little joys was collecting nativity scenes. After Thanksgiving you would see her home flooded with unique versions of our Savior's birth.

Surviving her are: 4 daughters - Edna Earnheart of St. Louis, MO; Rachel (Greg) Smith of High Ridge, MO; Mary (Ken) Farquhar of Pleasureville, KY; and Elizabeth Young of Florissant, MO; 1 stepson - Frank (Maria Celina) Young; 1 sister – Alice Opal Underwood; 3 half-sisters – Norma, Wilma and Donna; and 2 half-brothers – Cleo Jr. and Maurice. She is also survived by 8 grandchildren (Nicholas, Grace, Amanda, Danielle, Matthew, Gregory, Aimee′ and Kenny), 13 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great granddaughter. Also, a big part of her later years is our very close family friend, Scott Roddy, who was like a son to her. (Two peas in a pod, they were)

Proceeding Juanita in death were her husband, parents, stepmother, sister and one grandson (Adam Farquhar).

Visitation for Juanita is planned for Friday, December 20th at Sunset Hill Funeral Home in Glen Carbon, IL at 11:00 A.M. Services will begin at 12:00 P.M.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association or your favorite charity.

Services in care of Sunset Hill Funeral Home in Glen Carbon, IL.