Juanita Joye Pennington

Juanita Joye Evans Pennington, 97, died August 23, 2018 at Davis Hospice Center.
She was born May 5, 1921 in Lineville, Iowa, the second child of William Ottie and Bessie (Stanley) Evans. In the fall of 1922 they moved north of Cheyenne. Juanita went to the McGown and Goggin country schools, and then she was bussed to Cheyenne for high school, graduating in 1940.
At age 16, she started working summers on the P.O. Ranch helping Nellie Pennington Nelson cook for the ranch hands. Nellie’s son Melvin (Muggs) Pennington also worked on the ranch and the two became friends and started dating when she graduated high school.
The couple was planning their wedding when Muggs was drafted into WWII. It was three years later, when he came home on leave they married on April 6, 1944. They spent the next year in Arkansas and discharged back to Cheyenne in 1945.
They built their home in Cheyenne in 1953, where Juanita continued to live.
After her children were in high school, Juanita worked for the Laramie County Treasurers Office 17 years. Juanita was a wonderful seamstress and made hundreds of Raggedy Ann and Andy’s and Stocking Monkeys that she gave to friends and family and sold for many charities. She also made a Cathedral Quilt that was awarded Grand Champion of the Wyoming State Fair.
Muggs passed away in 1991 and Juanita became more active in local organizations. She was a Charter Member of Grace United Methodist Church, Mizpah Chapter O.E.S., S-JWC, Cancer Assistance Association, American Legion Auxiliary, AARP and YMCA where she participated in water exercises weekly.
Juanita has two children, Robert (Carol) Pennington, of Rayville, MO and Penny Joye Pennington (Steve Williams), of North Fork, ID, six grandchildren, Kelley (Connie) Pennington of Opelika, AL; Justin Fuller of Cheyenne; Shaine (Donna) Pennington of Olathe, KS; Sheila (Shane) Holmes, of Rayville, MO; Cody (Tiffany) Pennington, of Kearney, MO and Nicole Giarritello of Everett, WA; she is also blessed with 10 great grandchildren; 2 great great grandchildren and her best friend and sister-in-law, Darlene Evans and many other sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, August 31st at 10:00 a.m. at Wiederspahn-Radomsky Chapel. Interment will follow at Cheyenne Memorial Gardens.
Memorial Contributions may be made in Juanita’s name to the Cheyenne Cancer Assistance Association, c/o Darlene Evans, 2604 East 11th Street, Cheyenne, WY 82001 or to a charity of choice.