O'DELL, Juanita Virginia (Ramsey) - b. October 22, 1916 - d. January 2, 2007

[Janet Harrington]

(Taken from the Independence Daily Reporter, January 4, 2007, page 2)

Juanita Virginia O'Dell passed away on Tuesday, January 2, 2007 at the Greenwood County Hospital in Eureka, Kansas.  She was 90 years of age and a long time resident of the Longton communityl.  Juanita was born on October 2, 1916 at Bentley, Kansas to James Clinton and Nellie Maude (White) Ramsey.

She attended school at Bentley and Valley Center, Kansas and graduated form Valley Center High School.  Juanita attended  Southwestern University in Winfield and also attended Business College in Wichita.

On June 5, 1936, she married Thomas Gilbert "Gib" O'Dell at Wichita, Kansas and to this union was born five daughters and one son.  She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, and dedicated her life to caring for her family.  Juanita and Gib lived and farmed near  Valley center form 1936 until moving their family to a ranch south of Longton, Kansas in 1955.  When they retired from ranching in 1973, they moved to make their home in Longton.  She was preceded in death by her husband on July 18, 1984.  In 2000, Juanita moved to Springfield, missouri to live near her daughter, Judy.  She returned to Kansas in 2005 and became a resident of the Howard Twilight Manor in Howard, Kansas.

Juanita was an active member of the Longton United Methodist Church and the Longton Fair Association.

She is survived by her daughters, Sondra Dowell of Augusta, Sara Crowell of Longton, Judy Warren of Srpingfield, Missouri and Cinda Cates of Ft. Scott, Kansas; 24 grandchildren, 60 great grandchildren and 20 great great grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her husband, "Gib"; her son, Thomas R. O'Dell; her daughter, Coeta Bowman; her granddaughter, Valerie Johnson; her son-in-law, Charles Cates; her brothers, Clinton and Noel Ramsey and a brother who died in infancy; and her sisters Edna Hand and Lucinda Cutting.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, January 5, 2007, at the Longton United Methodist Chnurch with Pastor Ron Bradley and rEv. Gary parsons officiating.  Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 1:00 p.m. untikl 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 4, 2007.  Interment will be held at the Longton Cemetery.  A memorial has been established with the Longton United Methodist Church.  Contributions may be left with the funeral home.  The funeral arrangements are being made with the Zimmerman Funeral Home of Howard.