Juanita Weems Hinton

Juanita Weems Hinton passed away with courage, grace, and dignity on February 20, 2011, at home, surrounded by her family after a brief illness. She was born on September 14, 1927, in Piedmont to John B.(Sam) Weems and Pluma Norton Weems – Juantia was the only daughter with 4 brothers to a couple who found joy in each other after both having been widowed at an early age. Juanita (or "Jim" as her father and brothers called her) attended Piedmont High where she formed life-long friendships which were nurtured by an annual Fall trip to Gulf Shores in her later years which she cherished and enjoyed even this past October.

Juanita was preceded in death by her husband, James F. Hinton, Sr. She is survived by her son Forrest Hinton, her daughter Paula Hinton and her husband Steven Lawrence, and her daughter Julia Hinton and her partner David Reiss. In addition, she is survived by her only grandchild, David Hinton Lawrence, for whom her book "Dear David, When I was Young" was written and published in 2006. The book recounted many stories from her childhood as the daughter of cotton mill workers in Piedmont during the Depression. This book led to her column in The Messenger and the Piedmont Journal called “Better Times A’Comin’ ”. Her stories will be missed, but her memories will remain with us. She is also survived by her brothers, Maurice Arrington of Piedmont and Thomas Weems of Texas.

Visitation will occur on Tuesday, February 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Collier Butler. Funeral services will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Gadsden at 10 a.m. Wednesday, February 23. Interment will be at Forrest Cemetery beside her husband following the church service. Pallbearers will be her son, her grandson, her son-in-law, David Reiss, Steve Weems, Craig Roberts, Walter Waid, and Keith Copeland. Honorary pallbearers are Eric Arrington, Jimmy Arrington, Elbert Bynum, C. B. (Red) Collier, Roy Edwards, Edmond Faget, Robert E. (Bob) Grant, Jr., Kern Marbut, Ted Turner, Gerald Waid, Richard Waid, Eddie Whitson, and Raymond Woolf, along with the men of the Morris Friendship Sunday School Class of the First United Methodist Church of Gadsden.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing to remember Juanita may make donations to the James F. Hinton, Sr. Memorial Scholarship Fund at the University of Alabama School of Law, P. O. Box 870382, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487 or to the First United Methodist Church of Gadsden. www.collier-butler.com