Betty Juanita Vann's Obituary
Betty Juanita Vann was born on January 4, 1937 in Centre, Alabama. She was the first-born child of Lula C. Johnson Lambert and Albert C. Lambert. Their family grew in 1938 and 1939 with the births of younger brother, Ray and baby sister, Joyce.
The Lamberts had a happy life for a few years but everything changed when her father left the family. Juanita was only 5 years old at the time but the emotional scars never healed. Her mother raised 3 small children on her own, working in a cotton mill to support her family. The family was very poor and often went hungry. They lived in the Rome, GA area for many years.
All of these hardships shaped Juanita’s personality and made her the strong, independent woman that she’s been all her adult life. Juanita was extremely devoted to her small family and was very protective of her mother and her siblings.
Juanita was very industrious even as a little girl. She became quite the entrepreneur by looking for empty coke bottles and selling them back to the store. She used the coke bottle money to buy candy bars which she resold at school for double the price. In the summer, Juanita picked cotton to sell. At age 11, she was so proud that she could pick more cotton than her older, teenaged friends.
When Juanita was 13 years old, the family moved to Atlanta so that her mother could work at J.P. Stevens cotton mill. Juanita loved Atlanta and started working part-time jobs. She cleaned houses for neighbors on Saturday. She eventually went to work at downtown Woolworth’s. She was an excellent worker and eventually was promoted to cashier because she was so fast and accurate.
After she graduated from West Fulton high school, she found a job with an insurance company as a file clerk. She was promoted to a rate clerk and kept moving up the ladder. She worked for several different insurance companies including Federated, Maryland Casualty and Alexander & Alexander. She became the first woman underwriter in Atlanta back in the early 1960’s when women were never promoted to those positions. In those days, there was a salary cap for how much a woman could make, regardless of skills and abilities. Juanita fought for equal pay and got it. She got every job she ever applied for and excelled in everything she did.
Juanita married her longtime boyfriend, Howard C. Vann in May 1955. She was 18 and Howard was 21. Juanita insisted that they save money and buy their own house as soon as possible. Two years later, they bought their first home in the Grove Park area. In 1959, they welcomed their only daughter, Donna, and the family was complete. They moved to LaDawn Lane in Northwest Atlanta in 1960 and lived there until 1976. The family moved to Forest Acres subdivision in Cobb County and still resides there today.
Juanita was a working mother for many years but eventually quit work when her daughter was 8 years old. She thought Donna needed a full-time mom. Juanita bought a sewing machine and taught herself to sew. Juanita sewed and sewed and sewed. Most of Donna’s school wardrobe was double knit pant suits sewn by Juanita. When Donna became a teenager, she insisted that Juanita go back to work. Juanita was meant to be a career woman and Donna was meant to wear jeans from the mall.
Juanita started working part-time for Equifax in a new insurance audit division but that didn’t last long. She was recruited to be the manager and ran a large department for many years. Her staff loved her and she thrived. Juanita’s favorite employee was her sister-in-law, Martha Vann who was a diligent worker, confidant and a great friend during their entire adult lives. Juanita also showed a little nepotism hiring her daughter, Donna, as a part-time employee. Donna worked for her mother a short while before Equifax recruited her into a home office technology job, which was the perfect catapult into a successful 23+ year career. Juanita taught her daughter the value of hard work and that success was possible no matter your background.
Although Juanita never went to college, she took several insurance and business continuing education courses throughout her career. She was always the top student in her class. After her audit division was sold, she was offered a great job in Kansas City with the new company. Juanita would not move because she did not want to leave her mother or her siblings. Her family always came first. She moved into an accounting position where she stayed until she retired.
Even after retirement, Equifax and the spinoff company, ChoicePoint recruited Juanita to work part-time, especially for big projects and month-end deadlines. She worked part-time until she was 70 years old.
Even in her later years, Juanita was mentally sharp. She used her PC all the time and fell in love with her iPad and other tablets. She enjoyed word games and doing research. She had multiple tablets on every floor of her tri-level home so that one was always charged and ready for use.
Juanita was a career woman but she was also a devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend. Juanita also deeply loved our Heavenly Father, Jehovah. Although she did not regularly attend Bible meetings, Juanita prayed to Jehovah every day and looked forward to the coming paradise. Even during her many illnesses, she always felt comfort when she heard God’s word read aloud. Juanita especially liked the scripture at Philippians 4:6-7 which reminds us that Jehovah can calm our hearts and minds. She also enjoyed hearing Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew chapters 5-7. She always attended the annual Memorial of Christ’s Death. She wanted to show her appreciation for the ransom sacrifice so she never missed one Memorial over the past 55+ years.
Juanita suffered many devastating losses over the years. She still mourned her beloved mother-in-law, Allie Morris, who passed away in 1967. Juanita lost her mother, Lula, in 1993 – that was the biggest heartbreak of her life. Juanita was shattered when she lost her wonderful baby sister, Joyce, in February 2017. Her heart was crushed in May 2022 when her devoted baby brother, Ray, died unexpectedly. Juanita felt alone since she was the last survivor of her birth family. Ray called her every day for years – she’s been lost without that call. Juanita looked forward to being reunited with her whole family in the coming resurrection.
Since the pandemic, Juanita has been mostly housebound but she always enjoyed spending time at home with her husband, Howard. They spent most evenings eating dinner then watching old TV Westerns on cable. She really loved Bat Masterson, Cheyenne, Wyatt Earp, Gunsmoke and all of the old 50’s and 60’s shows. Juanita and Howard have been married almost 68 years and dated over 3 years before marriage. They grew up together and grew old together. She said that she was fortunate to have married the love of her life. They argued on their first date but that was just a preview. For over 71 years, they never stopped bickering and never stopped loving each other.
Juanita died on March 9, 2023 at Piedmont Hospital after short illness. She was a wonderful person and well loved by everyone who knew her. Juanita is safe in Jehovah’s memory and we all hope to be reunited with her soon.
Juanita is survived by her husband of 67 years, Howard C. Vann and her daughter, Donna J. Vann. Other survivors include brother-in-law, Harvey Sanders; sister-in-law, Melba Lambert; brother-in-law, Thomas (Martha) Vann, along with several cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. Juanita is also survived by her beloved calico cat, Heidi.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, March 14th 11:00 AM at Davis-Struempf Funeral Home Chapel with Brother Gordon Guthrie officiating. The family will receive friends for visitation on Tuesday before the service at 10:00 AM. Interment will follow the service at Georgia Memorial Park.
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