After many years living in Humboldt County, Juanda Lee DeShazer’s cremated remains were interred at Hardy Oak Cemetery, near McLouth, Kansas, on June 8, 2023. This date marked the third anniversary of her death, in the 100th year following her birth. Juanda’s grave is beside that of her cherished husband, Frank Kimball Scott, and surrounded by her relatives of the DeShazer, Thompson, Gibbons, Howard, Hamilton and other families.
Juanda’s grandparents and ancestors lived in the region of Lawrence and McLouth, Kansas. Juanda, herself, was born in California and resided here most of her life, and, for shorter periods, in Oklahoma, Texas, Washington, Nevada and Missouri.
During nearly 97 years of life, Juanda was influenced by her time’s social history: She was born five years after WWI’s armistice, “the war to end all wars”; yet, as she reached adulthood, totalitarian regimes were oppressing their populations, and governments moved toward WWII. She was born three years after ratification of women’s right-to-vote and, during her life, saw affirmation of women’s financial and medical rights. As a child and as an adult, she witnessed mistreatment and displacement of racial minorities, and saw little change to a human tendency toward prejudice and bigotry. She grew up during California boom times and Great Depression poverty. Juanda’s long life brought her a wide view.
Juanda’s experience made her sensitive to community connection and fairness; cultivated her distaste for absolutist behavior from political leaders and individuals; and developed her compassion for those oppressed by social policy and inequity.
Juanda lived actively, with an interest in personal growth: learning to paint, writing her thoughts and recollections, cultivating her views of ethical behavior, working with community groups. During a life that began tragically, with her mother’s death, Juanda moved toward joy.
She traveled widely and she achieved her personal goals to transit the Panama Canal, sail to Hawaii for her 85th birthday, cross the U.S.A. by camper van, visit the Holy Land and to travel many other journeys.
Juanda was preceded in death by her parents, Myrtle Ruth (Thompson) DeShazer and Roy Burton DeShazer, and her sister, Marjorie Jean DeShazer, and Juanda spoke of looking forward to joining them again.
Juanda Lee DeShazer is remembered by her immediate family, with appreciation for her love: Son Eric and his sons, Josh and Ben, and their mother, Ellen, and Josh’s sons Diego and Desmond, and Ben’s daughter Nalia and her mother Natalie; daughter Patricia and her son, Tim, and his wife, Paula, and his daughter Padma; son Jon and his sons Phil, Sam and Greg.
Juanda appreciated and loved the children of her deceased sister, Juanda’s nieces and nephews, and always was interested in them and enjoyed the special occasions of visiting with them. Juanda felt strong connection with her relatives in the Midwest, and had special attachments to her grandmother, Lucinda (Howard) DeShazer; to her aunt Estella (DeShazer) Albright; and to her mother’s sister, her aunt, Grace (Thompson) Myers. Juanda spoke with affection for all her friends in Southern California and often spoke of her Vietnam family, with whom she became friends as they moved to the U.S.A.
Juanda formed friendships wherever she was, and often talked on the phone with people who lived where she had resided, in San Diego, Sonoma, Kern and Humboldt counties in California, and many other places.
Living in Humboldt County, Juanda enjoyed meeting with friends in a Bible study group, and appreciated friends’ thoughtful cards, news clippings, visits and phone chats. After walks with family and friends at Potawot Village, near her home, Juanda said she felt it is “so peaceful.” Juanda worked with, and appreciated the activism of her neighbors, as they brought a rent control measure to the ballot. And, during her last years, Juanda could continue living at home because of the help from home workers, especially Lupe, Gillian and Bill, and with the care and social support of Hospice of Humboldt.
In commemoration of Juanda and her life, and with regard for Juanda’s lifelong respect for loyalty, love and principled action, Juanda’s family asks that you vote, a right she exercised, and that you send communications: In memory of Juanda, send a word of appreciation to people about whom you care; and send a letter of complaint to an entity that has failed to do its duty.
This article appears in Flash Fiction 2023.