Juanita Faye Smith Bryant

Juanita Faye Smith Bryant was born to Mitchel Thomas Smith and Caroline Willis Smith on December 23, 1921. She was the fifth of six children in the family.  After graduating from high school, she moved to Houston, TX where she was employed at Kaphan’s, one of the first Houston restaurants to fully integrate staff and customers.  While living in Houston, she also met her future husband Cecil Leonard Bryant.  Juanita and Cecil eventually moved to Dickinson, TX and were united in Holy Matrimony on February 19, 1968. She became widowed in 1983 but continued to live in Dickinson for the remainder of her life.  For many years she was employed as a domestic worker, developed many close friendships, and became a lifelong member of the Mount Olive Baptist Church. Juanita always said she wanted to live to be 100 years old, but she went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, May 28, 2016 at the age of 94. She was preceded in death by her husband, her father and mother, and her five siblings - Azie Boone, Hobart Smith, JD Hughes, Otho Smith, and Billy Smith. Although Juanita had no children of her own, she leaves behind to cherish her memory, her niece Elizabeth Hopkins, great-nieces and nephews Teri Turner, Kenneth “Kenny-Koo” Hopkins, Leslie “Lellie-Poo” Devereaux, Cedric “Clean-Head” Devereaux, brother-in-law George Hughes, sister-in-law Jean Smith, and numerous family and friends.