Juanita Elaine Lewis

Juanita was born February 23, 1953, in Dusseldorf, Germany, to parents Freeman David Lewis of Denison, TX, and Roswitha Ertel, of Radevormwald, Germany.  She is survived by a sister, Roxanne Brennan, and brothers Peter, Arthur, Douglas, and Daniel, and several nieces and nephews.  A brother, Roger, predeceased Juanita.   

Juanita had many friends and lived a full life. She grew up in New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley, and after high school, she went to live and work in Boston, MA.  She had numerous creative talents, including a fashion sense that led to starting her own woman’s fashion boutique called Adornments, featuring her own original handmade creations.

A few years later, Juanita moved across the country to Los Angeles, bravely—without a job or a place to live.  She worked a variety of jobs, including bartending, limo driving, and custom gift wrapping and bows for business and private clients.  She produced and appeared in an instructional video and gave numerous classes on gift wrapping with artistic flair.  Juanita also managed a UCLA hospital gift shop, and in later years, she loved driving for Uber because she met so many interesting people. 

A constant in Juanita’s life was the love of travel—with friends, travel groups, and solo.  Some of her favorite destinations:  Germany, Italy, Spain, Greece, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Mexico. 

Juanita’s beliefs followed a stoic philosophy, emphasizing bravery and courage, temperance—everything in moderation, justice—doing what is right, and honoring wisdom. The words on Juanita’s memorial plaque translate to:  “Seize the day, smell the roses, remember we all will die—So Live Life!”.

A memorial service for Juanita will be held Friday, May 29th, from 1-2 pm at Pierce Brothers Westside Cemetery, 1218 Glendon Ave, Los Angeles.  Colorful clothing is encouraged, to honor Juanita’s passion for clothes.  A Celebration of Life will take place immediately after the service, at Scott Properties Apartments at 10746 Francis Place, L.A.

Charities that Juanita honored were The UCLA Foundation, PBS SoCal, and Meals on Wheels.