Juanita Laverne Crenshaw

Juanita Laverne Crenshaw, 69 years of age, went to her heavenly home to be with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior on April 12th at 2:25 p.m., after a valiant battle with lung cancer at Columbia Healthcare Nursing Center. A native of Evansville, Indiana, she was born on December 19, 1954 to the late Elmer Gray and Zella Mae (Weekley) Cooksey. Juanita was a graduate of Bosse High School, class of 1972. She went on to take college courses at Indiana Vocational Technical College (now known as Ivy Tech Community College). Juanita dedicated many years working and caring for senior citizens and the disabled at various nursing care facilities as a Certified Nurse Aide. She went on to obtain her Qualified Medication Aide Certification and worked at the Evansville State Hospital for over 15 years. She continued her work, caring for individuals as a personal care assistant, until retiring. In her spare time, Juanita enjoyed gardening, antique sales, creating new recipes, crafts and sewing, listening to gospel, jazz and R&B music, watching movies and spending time with family and friends. Her very favorite past time was spent enjoying Chips-Ahoy cookies and a pack of Kool 100 menthol cigarettes. In addition to her parents, Juanita was preceded in death by a brother, James Crenshaw of Evansville, IN; grandmother, Laura Bell (Jackson) Weekley; and grandfather, Harrison Weekley of Evansville, IN; great aunt, Mary Jackson of Detroit, MI; great uncle, JT Jackson of Indianapolis, IN; uncles, Frederick and Leon Weekley of Evansville, IN; aunt, Audrey (Weekley) Horsley of Columbus, OH; and cousins, Theodore (aka Teddy) Weekley and Marsha (Weekley) Goines both of Evansville, IN; and stepfather, Clifton (aka Tater-ree) Cooksey of Evansville, IN. Juanita had three very special friends that preceded her in death, Linda Jones, Glenda Tarpley and Reba (aka Jerri) Grider all of Evansville, IN. Juanita is survived by her only child to cherish her memory, a loving daughter, Tehiji Crenshaw; one brother, Charles Crenshaw Jr.; two sisters, Sherlene (Crenshaw) Phillips and Sheri Crenshaw all of Evansville, IN; Also to cherish her memories, is her favorite birthday nephew, Terje Fletcher and his wife Derra of Chicago, IL; nephew, Ritchie Fletcher; nieces, Robyn Fletcher and Cherice (Crenshaw) Saunders all of Evansville, IN, and Shirley Crenshaw of Cary, NC; along with a host of great nieces, nephews, cousins, co-workers, friends and special friends, Edna Crable, Phyllis Ogburn, Sheryl Hoosier, Tyrone Dulin, and Jimmy Jones all of Evansville, IN. Juanita also cherished two young men that she thought of as sons, Garyallen Glass and Steve Thomas both of Evansville, IN. She will also be missed by her beloved pet, shared with her daughter, a Border Collie Retriever mix, Jessie June. Juanita and her daughter would like to thank Deaconess Gateway Hospital, Deaconess Encompass Rehabilitation Hospital, and Deaconess Chancellor Center of Newburgh IN, Deaconess Methodist Hospital of Henderson, KY, and Columbia Healthcare Nursing Center, especially Valeri Clem, Alina Lebedev and the 2nd floor staff for taking special care throughout this very difficult time. We also want to thank Heart To Heart Hospice, especially nurses, Bethany, Laura, Jennifer, Jenna, health aides, Samantha and Jennifer, Pastor John, and case manager, Adam. A very special thank you to Rev. Dr. Adrian M. Brooks, Sr. and Pastor Vicki Rouse for providing prayers and comfort throughout the transitioning process, and to Tracey Jefferson, Toyia Robinson, Sabrina Cawthorne, Jason Anderson, Renee Wright, and Tony Kirkland for their many calls of prayers, comfort and guidance; and to the Evansville Housing Authority staff, especially Allison Gauer, for her patience, kind words and prayers. Services will be held 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 26, 2024 at Alexander East Chapel, 2115 Lincoln Avenue, officiated by Reverends Harlan and Lorinda Taylor. Interment will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery. Friends may visit from 9:00 a.m. until service time on Friday at the funeral home. If you would like to make donations in remembrance of Juanita, please consider Columbia Healthcare Nursing Center, Heart To Heart Hospice, or your favorite charity of choice. Condolences may be offered at www.AlexanderEastChapel.com.