Juanita Faye Crawford

Graveside services for Juanita Faye Crawford, 91, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, February 23, 2024, at Howell Memorial Park Cemetery, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.    

Mrs. Crawford went to be with her Heavenly Father on her birthday, February 16, 2024, at Brooke Haven Healthcare.  What a way to celebrate a birthday – being greeted by Jesus.

She was the daughter of the late James F. and Ruth (Murfin) Roberts.  Juanita was a 1958 graduate of Southwest Missouri State College, Springfield, Missouri with a B.S. Degree in Education.  She did her student teaching at Greenwood Laboratory School Missouri State, Springfield, Missouri.  Juanita did graduate work at Drury College, Springfield, Missouri and University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.  She had a Life Time Teaching Certificate for all elementary grades and also a Life Time Certificate in Remedial Reading.  In the fall of 1952, she started teaching.  Juanita taught for four years at Hartshorn, Missouri, one year at Licking, Missouri and twenty-eight years at Summersville, Missouri.  She retired in 1985 after thirty-three years of teaching.  Juanita was a devoted teacher and held each student dear to her.  She wanted to do everything she could to ensure each student would be a successful adult.  On December 25, 1957, she was married at Houston, Missouri, to Robert F. Crawford, who preceded her in death on November 29, 2020.  Juanita was a member of First Baptist Church, Summersville, Missouri.  Until moving to West Plains, she served in the capacity of Sunday School teacher, WMU Director and Director of Visitation at Mountain View Health Care.  She was a member of The Order of Eastern Star, having earned her fifty year pin.  Mrs. Crawford was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority since March of 1959.  Juanita was the second of nine children.  She was a “little mother” to all eight of her siblings.  She was a loving Christian, a devoted wife and a loving, caring and compassionate individual.  She loved to read, sew and spend time with her family.  God and family were always her priority.

She is survived by one brother, Robert W. Roberts and wife, Bonnye, Springfield, Missouri; three sisters, Donna Zwiener, Huntsville, Alabama, Brenda Collins and husband, Bruce and Linda Gould and husband, Ron, both of West Plains; three sisters-in-law, Ruth Roberts and Carolee Roberts, both of Springfield and Evelyn Gant, St. Louis, Missouri; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. 

Her parents, husband, four brothers, George, James Jr., Dean and William C. Roberts; two sisters-in-law, Verna and Gloria Roberts; one brother-in-law, James Zwiener and two nephews, Christopher Collins and James F. Roberts III. preceded her in death.  

A very special thank you to Dr. Swift and Brooke Haven Healthcare and their staff for the loving care shown and provided to our precious sister, Juanita, these past few years.

Visitation services will be held from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m., Friday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.   Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s Association and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.