MORGANTOWN
Juanita Irene Shirley Boles went to be with our dad, Bob. She passed away at Community Hospital South on February 11, 2023, with family by her side.
Born in Boone County, Indiana on November 11, 1923, to John Truston Shirley and Oma Mahala Garrett, Mom resided in Indianapolis for over 60 years. She was a member of Arsenal Technical High School’s Class of 1942 and later attended courses at IUPUI.
After retiring from a 25-year career at RCA Consumers Electronics in the Cost Estimation Department, she and Dad moved to Brown County.
As a newlywed, Juanita traveled with Bob during his military career in WWII. While he was stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma she was employed at the Post Exchange establishing civilian payroll. Years and two children later, she was the Chairperson of the American Legion Auxiliary Juniors and attended teas at the Governor’s Mansion and participated in Easter Sunrise services on the Circle in Indianapolis. She led Campfire Girls while they served as honor guards for Madame Chiang Kai-Shek at the Murat Shrine Temple. And she assisted Dad as score keeper for Little League baseball and was involved in Cub Scout activities. She also belonged to the PTA, American Legion Auxiliary Post 88 in Indianapolis, and Pioneer Club and Humane Society in Nashville, Indiana. Her most recent memberships included The Hopeful Planters Garden Club in Nashville, Mill Race Center and Model A Club in Columbus and the Active Adult Senior Center in Franklin.
Preceding her in death were her parents, stepfather Charlie Wright, brother Lowell Wayne Shirley, and husband of 59 years Robert (Bob) Zane Boles.
She is survived by her daughter Dietra Boles Rosenkoetter (Terry), son Randy Boles (Carol), granddaughters Laura Boles DeVarenne Laub (Andrew) and Jennifer Boles Carlile (Trey), and six great grandchildren.
A private family service was held in February at the Wilson St. Pierre Funeral Service & Crematory in Greenwood, followed by burial at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lebanon, Indiana.
Juanita was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, and cousin. Her family was her life. She and Dad truly enjoyed their retirement years at Lake LaSalle in Brown County (she loved fishing and even won an association-sponsored crappie contest at the age of 90+.)
And she valued her friends and neighbors, so to those of you who knew Mom, Thank You for touching her life and allowing her to touch yours.
She was a good woman … as was her mother before her.
Donations to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Donor Services, PO Box 98018, Washington DC 20090-8018 (she was Randy’s caregiver during chemo/stem cell transplant for leukemia in 2005; he is an 18-year survivor – for which she felt so blessed) or to the St. Jude Childrens’ Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 (she donated to St. Jude’s every year on her birthday) would make her smile. Arrangements entrusted to Wilson St. Pierre Funeral Service & Crematory, Greenwood, Indiana.
