Juanita Stone

Juanita, our loving mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, spent most of her fifty-six years of married life serving alongside her husband, Perry Fred Stone, Sr., as they pastored or evangelized with the Church of God. They made many friends along the way. Some are friends still today, as they resurrect fond memories of Juanita and Fred from years ago. The two of them retired and moved to Cleveland, Tennessee in 1994.

Until the time of her recent and brief illness, even at age 85, she still worked for her son at Voice of Evangelism Ministries. She assisted him in the ministry and was his first secretary over forty years ago.

She loved her family, and often went above and beyond to care for them. She was blessed with four children and their spouses – Perry Jr. and Pam Stone, Phillip and Kerry Stone, Diana Stone, and Melanie and Abraham Vincente. She was also blessed with six grandchildren – Jonathan, Amanda, Grace, Nathan, Alina, and Joshua – as well as two great-granddaughters, Johanna and Aruka.

Juanita was stuck like glue to her surviving sister, Janet Williams, in spite of the fact that Juanita used to engage in annoying activities, such as wearing Janet’s clothes and popping the buttons off because Juanita was larger. Or playing matchmaker by writing love letters to boys and signing Janet’s name, because evidently, she thought Janet couldn’t get her own date.

Juanita made a point of calling Janet and her husband Willie every night at 7:00, where they shared their day and laughed like teenagers. She also Facetimed regularly with her daughter and grandchildren in Kentucky, who loved their Nana. The highlight of her day was having the children or grandchildren drop by to visit.

The family misses her dearly, as they realize just how special the bond is between a loving mother and her children, and how difficult it is to no longer have her with them. But we know that she is rejoicing on the streets of gold with her own family members who preceded her in death, including her husband and her parents, John and Lucy Bava. We wait impatiently to reunite with her, knowing that as long as we serve the Lord on this earth, we will see her again and never be separated again.

P.S. Hey Mom, Diana’s driving your car.