Juanita Margaruite Nienas

Juanita Margaruite (Smith) Nienas 1918-2015 Juanita Margaruite (Smith) Nienas was born on December 6, 1918 in St. Joseph, Missouri to Ida Victoria Caudell and William Ottis Smith. Juanita and her siblings Jesse Bennett, Thomas Jefferson, and Leota Evelyn were raised in St. Joseph. After graduating from Lafayette High School, Juanita practiced as a cosmetologist until WW II. Early in the war she met and was engaged to Homer W. Chinn, an Army Air Corps ferry pilot trainee at Rosecrans Airfield. Homer went missing while ferrying an Army airplane to Europe. After Homer's death Juanita worked in Defense plants on the west coast. In Vancouver, Washington, she met and married George Hodder Salter from Waukesha, Wisconsin. After the war, Juanita and George returned to the Waukesha, Wisconsin area. George worked as a wholesale representative and Juanita worked in ladies ready-to-wear. Juanita had no children but was a doting aunt to nieces and nephews in Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri. After George's death in June, 1973 she married John Nienas of Brookfield, Wisconsin, an HVAC contractor, making their home in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Juanita continued to dote on her fa...[more]

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y that now included John's daughter (Jessica), nieces and nephews. As representatives of the Heating and Cooling industry they traveled the world until John's death in 1983. She was an active member of the VFW and American Legion, which she loved. She continued to reside in Wisconsin until 2000, when a broken hip made living alone impractical. Her niece, Laura Singer Bonham, convinced Juanita that she should return to St. Joseph and live with her family. Laura and Juanita became close with Laura caring for Juanita until Laura's death in 2013. Laura's family continued to care for Juanita until her recent death. Juanita was an incredible woman who left an incredible sense of family, love and caring. Juanita treated each with birthday and Christmas cards with hand written notes. She will be remembered for her lovely happy style, enthusiasm for family gatherings and loving care to George's parents. Immediate family members: In St. Joseph, nephew Larry Lee Singer, great-niece Teresa Ann Johnson, and great-great nephews Austin Johnson and Miles Johnson. In Waterloo, Iowa, nephew Orlis Eugene Smith. In Olathe, Kansas, niece Mary Beth Meeker-Pregon. Nieces and nephews from the Salter Family include: Marilyn Olson Hooper (the late William), Illinois, Earle Olson (the late Rosemary) Ohio, Camille Olson Carlson (Robert) Alaska, Dennis Olson (Mary) Nevada, Janice Watson (Al Lustig) Wisconsin, James Watson (Dottie) Wisconsin, Richard Watson (Christine) Virginia, the late Bruce Salter (Lea) Wisconsin, Donald Salter (the late Patricia) South Dakota, Charles Salter (Karen) Wisconsin and many great nieces and nephews. A visitation will be held Saturday August 1st, 10:00 to 11:30 AM at Krause Funeral Home 9000 West Capitol Drive, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Funeral Service 11:30 AM. Juanita will be interred with her husband John Nienas at Pine Lawn Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Flowers should be sent to Krause Funeral Home. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the American Cancer Society.