Juanita Anna Schmidt Call

Juanita Anna Schmidt Call was blessed to John Adam and Sophia Reimann Schmidt on July 29, 1914 as their second born daughter. Her big sister, Clara, welcomed Juanita to plantation life in Egypt, Mississippi, and together they later welcomed Marie, Johnny H. and Margaret to the family. With the spirit of adventure, deep faith, and hope for a new beginning, the family moved to Greenway, Arkansas in 1919 pulling eleven box cars of cattle, farm equipment and household goods with them. They purchased one of the Pfeiffer farms complete with house, barns and a tract of land. Juanita attended Payne School with her sisters and brother and later they graduated from Greenway High School. Being the more spirited and energetic of the children, Juanita interrupted her high school days to help save the farm during the Great Depression and returned to graduate at age 20. She married the love of her life, Vernon Call of Call's Chapel Community on July 2, 1940, during the height of World War II. Juanita's blessings in life include her happy years with husband, Vernon Call, whom she often described as being full of fun and laughter, hard-working, honest, and always the same with everyone he knew or met. She considered her three children, Barbara, Pat, and John and her grandson, Chip, as God's special gifts to her marriage. Juanita loved and enjoyed all of her nieces and nephews and her many cousins, whom she remained in contact with over the years. In later life she was blessed with a very special great neice, Tonny Crowson DeMent, whom she loved as her own. Juanita had tremendous love and concern for her friends and neighbors and never missed a chance to share the bounties of her garden and her kitchen with them. Those who knew her best know she was famous for her homemade breads. Juanita's zest for life included gardening, canning and pickling, and cooking and baking for her family and extended family. She also enjoyed and had a well-developed talent for sewing garments and furnishings for her family and the home. Juanita's husband, Vernon often said that his favorite pie was the one in Juanita's cabinet at the moment. Juanita was active in her church, the First Methodist Church of Piggott, until she was no longer able to hear the minister's message and enjoy being a part of the meetings and activities. She loved to travel with her family and experience all the art and beauty the world has to offer. Most outstanding about Juanita was her never give up attitude and her positive outlook on life. She was always quick to smile and laugh and to see the bright side of life's opportunities and obstacles. She saw sunshine and rainbows when it was raining and blessings when life brought challenges. Juanita joined her parents, siblings, and husband, daughter, Barbara Anne Call Connor, in-laws, cousins and many friends on October 6, 2015 at NHC Nursing Facility in Kennett, Mo. where she lived the last 15 months of her beautiful life. Juanita was preceded in death by both parents; one daughter, Barbara Call Connor of Dallas, Texas; husband Vernon Call; each of her siblings, Clara S. Hughes of Milan, Tennessee; brother, Johnny H. Schmidt of Greenway, Margaret S. Latta of Little Rock, and infant sister, Marie Schmidt. She is survived by her son, John Vernon Call of Greenway; daughter, Patricia Call Barker (husband Gage) of Beaumont, Texas; and grandson, Thomas Chip O'Connor of Greenway and many loving nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be held Friday, October 9, 2015, at 1 p.m. at Mitchell Cemetery in Greenway, Arkansas, with Andy Newbill officiating. Hoggard & Sons Funeral Home of Piggott, Arkansas, is in charge of the arrangements.