Keith, Juanita Cynthia

Our beloved mother and grandmother, Juanita Cynthia Keith, 
passed away peacefully in Sacramento, CA on Sunday, January 
31, 2010 from a GI bleed at age 96. She was born in 
Nestorville, W. Virginia on June 10, 1913 to the parents of 
Chloe and Journey Bradford Shaffer. She grew up on a farm 
riding the horses her dad used to plow the fields. She would 
rise early to milk the cows, weed the fields, and perform other 
chores, then wait for the afternoon rains. When she walked to 
church, where her dad preached, she ran from the neighbor's 
bulls attracted by her red hat. She picked huckleberries along 
the road, went to town in a model T, listened to Amos and 
Andy on the radio, and made soap with lye and hog fat.

She graduated from Broadeus College to become a 
beautician. She married Gerald Marvin Parsons in 1933, living 
with relatives in W. VA until moving to Santa Monica, CA. She 
operated a beauty shop called "Nita's," until retirement, having 
lived most of her life in Southern California. During her life 
she said pretty much what was on her mind so one always 
knew where they stood.

She is survived by her two sons, Gerald Parsons and 
daughter-in-law, Carolyn Parsons of Big Bear Lake and 
Bradford Parsons and daughter in-law, Jeani Parsons of 
Sacramento, and their families. She has outlived the rest of 
her family; sisters, Lelia Robinson & Georgia Rogers, and 
brother Bradford Shaffer; and husbands. She last resided at 
Saint Francis Board and Care where she made friends and was 
lovingly cared for. In her last years she looked forward to 
church each Sunday, and coming home to a homemade pot 
roast. She enjoyed the many sporting events and birthdays of 
her grandchildren. She was a teacher in West Virginia before 
moving to Santa Monica, and in her last years in Sacramento 
she would give her granddaughter her spelling words most 
every day, loving to feel needed. She thoroughly enjoyed 
spending time with her grandchildren and family.

We prayed God would give her another season to spend with 
us because softball will be starting soon, and she loved 
watching the grandchildren's games. She also loved playing 
cards and board games. We now realize God has worked His 
plan and she has left the shackles of this earth bound to a 
walker to fly with the angels in Heaven. She no longer has 
any limitations. Her absence will be greatly missed.

''Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Live as if you were to 
live forever.''