Juanita Mays Daume

Juanita Jewel Hankla Mays Daume, 89 of Cape Girardeau, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015, at Life Care Center.

She was born Sept. 20, 1926, in rural Anna, Illinois, daughter of Amos F. and Opal A. Williams Hankla. She and Claude M. Mays were married Dec. 24, 1945, by the Rev. L.H. Moore of First Baptist Church of Anna. He passed away Dec. 30, 1988, after 43 years of marriage. She and Charles H. Daume Jr. of Oak Ridge were married March 17, 1990; he passed away Nov. 23, 1994.

The oldest of eight children, Juanita enjoyed helping with the little ones around the house. She attended the former Sitter School in Anna, and later worked at the Anna Heel Factory and International Shoe Factory. She and Claude moved to Northern Indiana in 1955 where she was a homemaker. Upon moving to Jackson in 1977, she worked at Southeast Hospital as a nurse assistant, where she enjoyed her patients and the friendships she made there. Even though she retired after 15 years, she continued at Southeast Hospital as a volunteer, and later worked as an in-home health-care giver.

Juanita made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ when she was 13 years old. Juanita's church and family were first and foremost in her life. She was a faithful member of First Baptist Church in Jackson, and always enjoyed working in Bible school and teaching the children Sunday school. She was a member of the LLL Sunday school class, the Women's Missionary Union, the Byrd Creek Homemakers Club and the Southeast Hospital Auxiliary. Pies, biscuits, and rolls were some of her specialties as she was a fantastic cook. She will be dearly missed by family and friends.

Loving survivors include a son, Larry (Joyce) Mays of Springfield, Missouri; two daughters, Claudia (Tony) Williams of Punta Gorda, Florida, and Lisa (Tim) Brown of Jackson; five stepchildren, Richard (Jane) Daume of Surprise, Arizona, Vernon (Ethel) Daume and Jean (Kent) Puchbauer of Jackson, Judy (Dale) Myers and Joyce (Wayne) Bock of Oak Ridge; a sister, Betsie Stokes of Anna; four brothers, the Rev. Joe (Viola) Hankla of Carbondale, Illinois, Wayne (Charlotte) Hankla of Dyer, Indiana, Harold Dean Hankla of Anna and Richard (Joyce) Hankla of Decatur, Alabama; six grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; numerous stepgrandchildren; and many great-stepgrandchildren.

In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by a sister, Martha Warr, and an infant brother, Amos Jerald Hankla.

Friends may call from 9 a.m. until time of service Thursday at the chapel of McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Lucas Clabaugh officiating. Interment will be in Anna City Cemetery.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to First Baptist Church in Jackson or Southeast Hospice.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.