Elizabeth Juanita Chamberlain

Elizabeth Juanita Jordan was born in Robeline, Louisiana on August 2, 1930 to Sallie and J.V Jordan. She was reunited in Heaven with the love of her life Douglas Carl Chamberlain on July 23, 2015, just shy of her 85th birthday.

Juanita grew up during the Great Depression with her older brother, Vernon and two younger sisters, Fay and Wanda. When their father lost his job, finances were limited, and the children entertained themselves by playing Hop Scotch, jump rope, Monopoly and card games. Finally her father obtained a job as a depot agent at Southern Pacific Rail Road and moved the family to Edgard, Louisiana. The family lived across the road from the Mississippi River and the children greatly enjoyed walking to school on the levee and stopping for cumquats at Caire's Grocery on the way.

Returning to Natchitoches a few years later, Juanita graduated from Natchitoches High School as Salutatorian of her class. She continued her education, graduating from Business School in Shreveport, Louisiana, and becoming the Principal's secretary at Natchitoches High School, where her two sisters still attended class. While working there, she met Doug on a blind date and he was smitten. He spent the rest of his life being loyal and dedicated to her every need. They were married on November 12, 1951, and honeymooned in New Orleans. A year later, they welcomed their first daughter Diane into the world. As the only grandchild on both sides of the family, she received lots of love and attention, but Juanita's unconditional love and support was always her stronghold.

When Diane was three, Doug accepted a job at Cit-Con Refinery in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and the family moved to an apartment where Juanita spent her days taking her baby on long stroller rides and keeping the house immaculate, a trait that continued throughout her life. Several years later, Doug and Juanita built a house and Juanita went to work part-time at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital. She loved her job as a medical transcriptionist and a number of her coworkers became lifelong friends.

Juanita was always the prim and proper sister and Fay the more adventuresome. One Christmas Day, Fay and Diane decided to give all her dolls a haircut. When Juanita saw the results of their beauty treatments, she was not pleased, but after all, it was Christmas, a time of joy and peace. Diane credits her Ph.D. in shopping to countless clothes bargain hunting treks with Juanita, who at age 82 was still marathon Black Friday shopping with her daughters and granddaughters.

Ten years after Diane was born, Juanita and Doug celebrated the birth of their second daughter Suzanne, named by her big sister because it rhymed with her name. Suzie attributes her love of learning to her Mom, recalling how she spent countless hours helping her through her homework assignments. Suzie won first place in the 6th grade Moss Bluff Science Fair thanks to her Mom's help incubating eggs and hatching chickens. Following Juanita's example, she graduated as Salutatorian of her high school class and then went on to graduate school.

The family's social life centered around activities at First Baptist Church, resulting in many long and lasting friendships. Juanita's love for life, family and friends was guided by her strong faith in God. A devoted Christian, Juanita taught four and five year olds in Training Union and served as secretary of her Sunday School Class, a group of ladies who were her dearest friends.

In 1980, Juanita was overjoyed by the arrival of her first grandson, Jason Douglas Small. As soon as Jason could talk, he started calling Juanita NaNa, and that became her family name. She loved to keep Jason while his parents went out of town. Their favorite activities were visiting her work, feeding the ducks and deer at the park, catching lizards and playing Monopoly. NaNa's treasured pastime was making up countless stories about Chip and Dale, the courageous chipmunks, to entertain Jason for hours. Almost every summer she joined Diane and Jason on trips in the motor home to Disney World, Washington D.C. and Florida, always including stops at outlet malls along the way.

Eleven years later, Suzie blessed NaNa with her first (eventually it was three) set of twins. Allison Suzanne Langlinais and Alicia Diane Langlinais were born on May 17, 1991. NaNa and Paw Paw played a huge role in Allison and Alicia's lives, spending at least two days every week caring for the twins. Special memories include: playing Chinese Checkers, Memory and Dominoes, watching Barney and Baby Bop, going to the park to feed the deer, and listening to NaNa's famous Chip and Dale storytelling. The girls weren't very interested in food, but one of the few meals they loved was NaNa's salmon croquettes, rice and gravy and a bowl of strawberry icing.

Juanita and her siblings were always close, and when they retired, they started taking trips together. Their destinations included Napa Valley, Philadelphia and the Amish Country, Niagara Falls and Victoria, Canada. Juanita's favorite attractions were the House on the Rock in Wisconsin, High Tea at the Empire Hotel in Canada, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Missouri, because her favorite TV show was Little House on the Prairie. Since this was before the GPS, they spent a good amount of time lost, but they laughed so hard that the wrong turns became some of the best memories.

Juanita and Doug moved to Houston in 2007 to be close to their children and grandchildren. They were soon blessed with great grandchildren, twin girls Sydney Grace Small and Casey Olivia Small, born to Jason and Danna Small on October 31, 2009. NaNa was ecstatic to be able to help Diane (now Mimi) care for the twins while their parents were at work. They loved swinging on the front porch swing and in their baby swings with the bubble making machine showering them with bubbles. When they were three, they stayed for a week at Mimi's house and she and NaNa took them to a farm with llamas that welcomed them by spraying them with spit. The girls didn't really like that at the time, but they still enjoy telling stories about it!

Sydney and Casey had a Wizard of Oz costume party for their birthday when they turned two and NaNa went as Aunt Em. She was adorable with her bonnet and apron and perfectly coifed silver hair.

Two sets of twins is good, but three is always better, so NaNa was elated when Hank Richard Small and Lane William Small were born to Jason and Danna on December 27, 2013. NaNa's love for children kept her young, and at age 83, she was still crawling around on the floor playing with her newest twins.

NaNa's family continued to grow when Allison and Alicia got married in 2014 and 2015, six months apart. She was very proud to attend both weddings and looked gorgeous as the Great Grandmother of the bride.

NaNa's family was her love and her life, and will be her legacy forever. The family is most grateful to Tomball Retirement Center where she lived the last two years, Deanna Clark her loving caregiver and "other daughter," and LifePointe Hospice who led her through the last week in a nurturing, peaceful environment.

Funeral services will be held on at 11 AM on Saturday, July 25th at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home, 18000 I 45S, The Woodlands, Texas. Visitation will begin at 10.