Emma Juanita Brown Evans' Obituary
Emma Juanita Brown Evans
January 14, 1932 – August 5, 2023
Life began in Middletown, New York, ending in Jacksonville, Florida. Juanita, as she preferred to be called, was firstborn to Katie Reynolds Brown and Ira Clarence Brown. She was raised with a loving brother the late Ira C. Brown (2022) and her sister, Justina Bryant.
A graduate of Bartram High School class of 1950, and a Chemistry major at University of North Carolina A&T. While at school she was prodded by her Uncle Joe and Aunt Ann becoming a debutante. After college, she married the love of her life, the late H. Edward Evans lasting 56 years. They had two beautiful daughters, Joanne Roberta “Jo-Jo” (Marshall L. Caeser, Jr.) and Renee Patterson “Nay” (David P. Henry). She was blessed with 5 grandchildren: Paula, Lauren, Stefan, Marissa, and Sammi-Jo Kathryn and two great granddaughters: Morgan and Arie. She leaves a host of loving nephews and nieces.
In 1955, Juanita worked as an accountant at Blue Cross and Blue Shield until her life-altering accident at work in 1984. She wasn't a woman who could sit dormant. When she recovered, she worked alongside her husband, both daughters in various activities and spent time volunteering in gardening, youth activities and whenever she was requested.
Juanita was always a doting mother who pushed her daughters educationally, to ignore barriers and remember family first. She claimed she was an atheist, but she attended services at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Moorestown, New Jersey for over 35 years, with her daughter Renee, her sister Tina, and her beloved niece Jennifer. Before then, there was her mother's Baptist church at 56th & Vine Street in Philadelphia until her passing. In her lifetime, she's moved from Middletown to Philadelphia to Cherry Hill then Mt. Laurel to San Paolo and Recife Brazil back to Mt. Laurel to her death in Jacksonville. Her last thoughts were of her husband calling her home. A beautiful soul filled with eloquence leaves a legacy filled with love, resilience and life well lived. She was 91. We love you Mom always, always…
Celebration of life will be held at Givnish Funeral Home in Cinnaminson New Jersey on Saturday, September 2. Visitation from 10:00-11:00AM, services to follow. She shall be laid to rest at Odd Fellows in Burlington.
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