Juanita Blackwell

Biography

Juanita Sanders Blackwell, 95, of Waco, passed away August 9, 2012. Graveside services will be held Saturday, August 11, at 10:00 a.m., at Moore Cemetery in Chalk Bluff.

Juanita was working in downtown Waco in 1936 and looked out the window and saw a young policeman putting a ticket on a parked car. She told her girl friend about it and found to her surprise that she knew the policeman. She told Juanita that she would introduce her to the policeman. About three weeks later, Juanita, her girl friend and sister went to the park and who should come up, but Al Blackwell. That was the beginning of a wonderful thing between Juanita and Al. Juanita remembers that he was just what a young lady would look for. Six foot two inches tall, dark eyes, and black curly hair. After a whirlwind romance of two years, they got engaged in 1938. Al told Juanita that he wanted to take her to her new home that he was building on Maple Avenue. It took him two years to complete the home. Upon completion, Juanita and Al got married and moved into their new home in 1940. In 1941 Al had to leave Juanita to go into the service. He served 4 years in the Navy as a Sea Bee and Shore Patrol. His last service time was overseas in Guam. As usual Al was the only one to know how to build things and he had the duty of making furniture and other things for all the officers in his service. This was typical for Al and throughout his life he was always building something. Juanita was able to be with Al while in service at Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Richmond, Virginia. He was then transferred to California, and then to Guam. When he returned from the service, he built a home for his mother-in-law, Dora Thomas Sanders. He then built her another beautiful home on Maple Avenue. This is the beautiful home where Juanita lived, until moving to Westview Manor, in McGregor, in her later years. Their home was completed in 1949.

Juanita remained the homemaker of the family and she had to care for her mother, her home, and the rental house that was their first home. Juanita and Al built a lake home on Lake Mexia near Mexia, Texas. They enjoyed it very much but it was such a chore to build and the copperhead snakes were terrible. The house was a two story home with a fireplace. Al stated it was the last fireplace he would build. Needless to say that after Al's death, Juanita did not like the snakes that were ever present there at the lake and she sold the lake house. Juanita lived a charmed life for she resigned her job in December and the terrible tornado struck Waco in the following May and destroyed her place of employment with tragic loss of life. During this tragedy Al was on duty and worked throughout day and night for more than three days in the devastated downtown Waco area.

In all their marriage, they only had four vacations and each of them was going to Ohio to see relatives of Al. He had a sister-in-law that loved antiques and got Al and Juanita interested. They returned after each trip with the car loaded inside and on top with antiques. Needless to say they collected many of their antiques prior to the time that every one found that was the "In Thing" to do.

Al was a dedicated policeman with a compassion for people. Many times he would stop a motorist for law infractions and give them a warning rather than a ticket requiring a fine to be paid. Notably he stopped his own Pastor for speeding and gave him a warning. A small Jewish lady inadvertently ran a red light and he talked to her and gave her a warning. She was so impressed that from that day on she was a dear friend to Juanita and Al. Al spent 34 years in the Waco Police Department and retired December 30, 1970. The next day he began work for the McLennan County Sheriff Department and worked for the county for three years prior to his death on April 28, 1973.

Juanita knew Jesus Christ as her savior and was a real prayer warrior. Juanita was a long time member of Calvary Baptist Church in Waco. She was a true lady who enjoyed homemaking, cooking, and gardening. She and her husband loved entertaining and sharing their home with friends and family. Over the years she had several registered Pekingese dogs that she loved like children. Juanita had a wonderful sense of humor, loved having fun, and enjoyed being around people.

Juanita is survived by two sisters-in-law Mattie Dee Kinnison of Moody, TX, and Juanita Newman of Fairfield, TX; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.