Ruth Juanita Bean

Funeral services for Ruth Juanita Bean, 89, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, January 28, 2024, at Calvary Pentecostal Tabernacle, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.

Mrs. Bean passed away Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at her home, surrounded by her family.

She was born September 15, 1934, at West Plains, Missouri, to Thomas William Driscoll and Anna Courtney Hard Driscoll.  On October 24, 1953, she was married at Bakersfield, Missouri to Joe Bean. Juanita’s love story was shared many, many times. But it’s not every day the Lord speaks to someone to let them know who they are marrying. It was truly a match made in Heaven. Juanita and Joe lived a fulfilling, happy life together for 70 years. Up until her last moments, they were holding each other’s hands.  Juanita had many passions: cooking, growing flowers, decorating cakes, macramé, embroidering, quilting, reading, CB radioing to name a few, but her biggest passion was entertaining. She was the best hostess! You never left her house hungry or unloved! Many family members, Pastors, preachers, missionaries, strangers that Joe would bring home from town, and old friends and young people sat at her table. Her home on Old 160 was called “Grand Central Station” when her children were young adults. Her passion for people and entertaining remained stable even when her mind became unstable. Her biggest smiles came when her own children were in her presence. Each child thought they were her “favorite” for the special attention she managed to show each one.  Juanita’s favorite day was Sunday, not because it was a “day off work”, but it was a full day of having her family around her, worshiping together, eating together, and sometimes taking Sunday drives. In the last few years of her life, every day was Sunday. So Sunday, her funeral day, is so fitting.  Juanita’s humor will be missed. She was always trying to make people laugh. Her humor will live on in the stories that her Grands will be telling for years to come.  Juanita loved family, mainly her Driscoll and Bean families. In the last few years of her life, everyday she would ask about her Mother and Dad and siblings. She longed to go “home” everyday. Now she’s Home forever!

She is survived by her husband, Joe Bean, of the family home; four children, Mike Bean and wife, Paula, Princeton, Indiana, Tami Riggs and  husband, Ray, West Plains, Tim Bean and wife, Judy, Jefferson City, Missouri and John Bean and wife, Daralena, Springfield, Missouri; one son-in-law, David Johnston; twelve grandchildren, Johnana Nieblas and husband, Dominic, Dyer, Indiana, Kristen Cochran and husband, Colin, Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Bracy Bean and wife, Briana, Springfield, Missouri, Tabitha Riggs Miller and husband, Anson, West Plains, Courtney Johnston, West Plains, Nathanael Bean and wife, Hailey, Joplin, Missouri, James Martin Bean and wife, Britney, West Plains, Dara Thomas and husband, James, Springfield, Missouri, Dale Bean and wife, Ellyn, Springfield, Missouri, Daine Bean and wife, Ashley, Blue Springs, Missouri, Danae Cooledge and husband, Nathan, Gravenhurst Ontario, Canada and Dessa Godla and husband, Kevin, Springfield, Missouri; twenty-five great-grandchildren, Eli, Jude and Isla Nieblas, CJ, Benny and Gabriel Cochran, Juliette, Evie and Olivia Bean, Lucas, Liam and Lance Miller, Colter and Quinn Bean, Cheyanne Bean, Winston, Laith and Elias Thomas, Hudson and Addelyn Bean, Jack, Maisy and August Jo Bean, Zimri Cooledge, Eloise Godla with another Godla baby boy on the way; one brother, Lloyd (Jim) Driscoll and wife, Delores, West Plains; two sisters, Thelma Willard Montgomery and husband, Paul, West Plains and Mary Toney, Marion, Ohio; one sister-in-law, Laura Driscoll, Columbus, Maryland; and many nieces and nephews.

Her parents, one daughter, Anna Johnston, five brothers, Coy Driscoll and wife, Lillian, Perry Driscoll, Lonzo Driscoll and wife, Ida, Dean Driscoll and wife, Evelyn and Norman Driscoll, two sisters, Dorothy Mahaffey and husband, Herb and Ruby Johnson and husband, Bud and one brother-in-law, Victor Toney, preceded her in death.

Visitation services will be held from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m., Saturday, at The Langston Street Chapel of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  Burial will be at Homeland Cemetery.  Memorial contributions may be made to Homeland Cemetery and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.