A. Jaunita Peterson

PETERSON, A. Juanita
Of Kalamazoo Passed away Friday afternoon, January 13, 2012. Juanita was born March 6, 1923 in Decatur, AL, the daughter of R. Luther and Mamie Askenberg Bryant and had lived in the Kalamazoo area since 1953. She enjoyed collecting stamps, recipes, coins; and match box cars for her grandchildren. Juanita also enjoyed genealogy and driving around to cemeteries in the South to see the headstones with their interesting epitaphs. She loved making pillow cases by hand on New Years Day to bring good luck for the coming year and eating Hoppin John and corn bread. Juanita was married on June 2, 1944 to Merlyn Peterson to whom she was married for 65 years until he passed away on May 28, 2009. Also preceding Juanita in death were her parents and her sister, Frances Corum of Leighton, AL who also passed away on a Friday the 13th. Surviving are 2 daughters, Sharon Oppenhuizen of Kalamazoo and Shelia William Novess of Vicksburg; 3 grandchildren, Tracy Col. Andrew McConachie of Sumter, SC, Gerrit Oppenhuizen of Gobles and Elliot Novess of Vicksburg; and 3 nieces, Ann Donald Allen of Decatur, AL, Suellen Phillip Perry of Athens, TN and Gina Corum of Courtland, AL. Services will be held 2:00pm Wednesday, January 18th at the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 622 S. Burdick Street with the Rev. James Dyke officiating. Visitation will begin one hour before the service time. Memorial contributions in Juanita's memory may be made to the Kalamazoo Humane Society.