Juanita Ellis

Juanita Ellis, known lovingly as "GG" and "Mama," passed away peacefully on April 28, 2026, in Lancaster, California, at the remarkable age of 106. Born on August 13, 1919, in Weatherford, Texas, Juanita lived a life so full and so long that it touched generations of people who were blessed enough to know her.

Juanita grew up in Texas, where she worked on a farm and learned the values of hard work, patience, and kindness that would define her entire life. She married the love of her life, Wayne Ellis, and together they built a family that would grow beyond anything they could have imagined. As a devoted homemaker, Juanita poured her heart into raising her children, teaching them to be moral and kind. She was a proud mother and an even prouder grandmother to over 50 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

Juanita had a way of making everyone feel welcome. She was funny and always a good sport when her grandchildren got silly. In her later years, she loved being pushed in her wheelchair through amusement parks, soaking in the joy around her. She was also a talented poet who captured the beauty of life in her words, and anyone who ever tasted her biscuits knew they were simply the best.

Her family meant the world to her, but above all, Juanita loved the Lord. She was a devout Christian and a faithful member of The Connection Church, where her presence was a blessing to everyone around her. She lived her faith every single day, and it carried her through 106 beautiful years.

Juanita was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Wayne Ellis; her sons Bill, Richard, Vernon, Lloyd, and Damon Ellis; her brothers Jack, Hollis, and Bill Hutchins; and her sisters Veo Reese, Cora Sue Brinkley, Marie Fowler, and Addie Jewell Snailum. She is survived by her daughters Jona Haskins, Donna Thomas, and Loretta Lodge, along with her many cherished grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held on May 22, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Joshua Mortuary in Palmdale. A reception will follow at Crazy Otto's. Interment will take place at a later date.

In her own words, written in 2009, Juanita left us with this blessing:

"Age Is A Blessing From God"

*With these few lines, I will try to tell you. I have been blessed with a long life, nearing ninety years old and my mind is still good too! So, I thank God very much, for His wonderful, loving touch, that He has had on my many years of living, and for his loving care of giving. I want to say to the people that may read these few lines, to thank God for every day of your life as I have for mine. Wishing a long life for all of you, blessed and happy with the last line.*

Written by Juanita Ellis, April 21, 2009