Juanita Jean Shepherd-Phillips 96, of Wichita, KS formally of Pittsburg, KS died at 7:27 a.m. Sunday, September 3, 2023 at the St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, KS.
Juanita was born February 11, 1927 in England, Arkansas the daughter of Roy and Mildred (Walker) Bradford. Juanita was a graduate of Plummerville Arkansas High School in 1945 and later graduated from Riverside Cosmetology School. She worked many years as a hairdresser in Wichita which she continued informally in Pittsburg. She was part of the Pittsburg community from 1968 to 2019, previously residing in Wichita for many years.
On December 6, 1945 Juanita married Dewey Shepherd in Wichita, KS; he preceded her in death on July 4, 1986. She later married Nelson Phillips in October of 1996; he preceded her in death in August of 1997. Juanita supported the establishment of Interstate Exterminators in Pittsburg with her husband Dewey and was primarily a homemaker.
Juanita was a member of the Trinity Baptist Church in Pittsburg, KS; Emmanuel Baptist Church in Wichita, KS; Country Acres Baptist Church in Wichita, KS; she enjoyed Community Choir; many activities at Trinity Baptist; playing sports; watching sports; Red Hats Society and Mahjong. She was a member of the Pittsburg O.E.S. and achieved the position of Grand Ada of Kansas. She was a member of a Plummerville, AK High School basketball team to go to state in 1944.
Survivors include children Steven Shepherd of Pittsburg, KS, Suzanne Decker of Wichita, KS, and Phillip Shepherd and wife Veva of Castle Rock, CO; daughter-in-law Donese Ruttle of St. Louis, MO; brother Richard Bradford and wife Judy of Ft. Worth, TX; grandchildren Martin Shepherd, Michael Shepherd, Ian Shepherd, Heather Dell and Thomas Shepherd; great-grandchildren Nate, Evie, Sophia and Mariah.
Juanita was preceded in death by her husbands, parents, children Tom Shepherd and Roxanne Shepherd, brothers Dale Thurlow Bradford, W.L. (Shorty) Bradford, Billy Dean Bradford, Dr. Wendell Bradford and Larry Hope Bradford; daughter-in-law Karen Shepherd and son-in-law Bill Decker.
Funeral Services will be at 1:00 p.m. Monday, September 11, 2023 at the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home with Pastor Mike Hart officiating, and include a program by O.E.S. Burial will follow at Highland Park Cemetery in Pittsburg, KS. Family will receive friends from 6 to 7 p.m. Sunday, September 10, 2023 at the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home in Pittsburg, KS; friends may call after 2 p.m. Sunday. In lieu of flowers, the family asks expressions of sympathy to be in the form of memorials to Passageways (Wichita) and/or KSDS Assistance Dogs (Washington KS). Friends may drop off or mail memorials to Bath-Naylor Funeral Home 522 S. Broadway Pittsburg, KS 66762. Condolences may be left at www.bathnaylor.com. Arrangements and services are under the direction of Bath-Naylor Funeral Home of Pittsburg, KS.
