Juanita was born on December 24, 1933, as the oldest child of A.D. and Thelma Lesterjette Valentine in Kaufman County, Texas. She was tow headed and light skinned, and for some reason, her daddy called her Skeet. Her family were sharecroppers, growing cotton to make their living. Juanita grew up doing all the things country folk did back then, like raising their own food, canning, pickling, making jellies out of stuff we mow down these days, sewing, and just overall making do with what they had and being glad to have it. She helped to raise her younger brother and sister as they came along, as well. Both sides of her family were large, so there were always other kids to play and celebrate holidays with.

Farming the way they did was a hit and miss kind of thing. Juanita always told the story of having to spend a fall trying to get a bumper crop out of the field so they could pay all the bills. She missed so much school, she had to re-do her freshman year in high school, but she graduated from Terrell High School in 1952. She was on the Tigerette dance team and had lots of friends. She was the Club Editor on the annual staff, the Publicity Chairman for the Y-Teens, a member of the FHA, Latin Club, Pep Squad, Football Princess, and the Senior Class Secretary. She also worked in McCrory’s 5 and Dime on weekends to earn extra money for things she wanted that the family could not afford.

On April 16, 1953, Juanita married her high school boyfriend, Bobby Richardson, just before he went off to the army. While he was gone, she lived with his parents and worked at the bank in Terrell. When he got back, they lived in and around the Terrell area, working and starting a family. They had their only child in 1956.

Their lives were lived all over the State of Texas as Bobby was a football, baseball, basketball, and golf coach throughout the 40 years he worked in the school business. Juanita worked in banks, schools, other types of offices, and as a stay-at-home mom sometimes. She always kept a nice home, and she was a great cook. Her Tunnel of Fudge cakes and Christmas candies could not be beat. She loved collecting things, like Beanie Babies, any kind of pretty glassware, and shoes, and she loved her soap operas and QVC!

In 1992, Juanita and Bob moved to Rotan, Texas, where they put down real roots for the first time in their lives. They both retired in Rotan and spent a lot of time

with their only grandchild, Ty-Ty. As he grew up, they traveled to all of his functions and took him on vacations. When he went to college, they traveled all over the country in their Dutch Star. As Juanita and Coach Bob got older, they brought both of their mothers out to Rotan and took care of them until their deaths. Juanita developed dementia and has spent the last 4 years at the Kent County Nursing Home in Jayton.

Juanita passed to her new life with Jesus on October 1, 2026, at Homeplace Manor in Hamlin, Texas. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother and sister-in-law, Thurman and Kathy Valentine. She is survived by her husband of 73 years, Coach Bob; her daughter and son-in-law, Sherri and Kollin Shadle; her grandson and granddaughter-in-law, Tynan and Nicole Shadle; her sister, Hazel Wallace; 2 nieces, Rene Phillips and Amanda Valentine; and 2 nephews, Michael Valentine and Mitchell Valentine, along with their families.

Juanita was born, raised, and died in the fellowship of the First Baptist Church. The church family meant a lot to her, and she was glad to be a part of the ministry in Rotan. Thank you to all the folks in Rotan for your care, concern, friendship, and fellowship over the years. And thank you for including her in all things Rotan.

Visitation will be 10:00 AM on Monday, October 5, 2026 at the Weathersbee-Ray Funeral Home in Rotan, followed by Graveside services in Belvieu Cemetery at 11:00AM.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Hospice of the Big Country or to a charity of your choice.