Juanita G. Tomblinson

Juanita G Tomblinson of Denver Colorado, born December 5, 1917, passed away May 27, 2012 in Guthrie Oklahoma. Juanita was the founding mother of Cerebal Palsy of Colorado in 1952. Juanita’s mission in life was to start a school for her own son Russell Deroy who had Cerebal Palsy. In Juanita’s own words: “When it came time for Russell to enroll in school, we were told he was not welcome in public school. “The money and effort will be wasted because; he will never be self-sufficient or fill a normal place in Society.” I was stunned, because he was a capable young man; bright, thoughtful and loving; however, he was in a wheelchair and had spastic muscle contractions. “Why should we educate the Cerebral Palsied?” they asked me. This began a 65 year love for helping children with CP. In 1952, I, along with eight other mothers, went to our community and asked for their help to build a school, where our handicapped children could be taught. The thought seemed crazy to some, but, to many others, it was a perfectly sound idea. They are the ones who supported us in building our very first school where my son and many others were welcomed and had the opportunity to learn. The Denver Cerebral Palsy Center opened September 14, 1953. For the children, it was a day they had been waiting for all their lives. For the staff it was a challenge, and, for the parents it was the reality of our DREAM.”

Juanita is survived by her brother Perry McGinnis, Daughters Eula Mae Emerson and Gwendlyn Kaye, six Grandchildren, eleven Great Grandchildren and three Great Great Grandchildren.

Services will be held at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary at 6601 South Colorado Blvd Centennial, CO 80121 on June 6, 2012 at 11 a.m.. A reception will follow at CP of Colorado, 801 Yosemite Denver, CO 80230. Donations will be accepted at CP of Colorado.