Juanel Votaw

Juanel Grant Holliday Votaw was born July 7, 1932 to Larry and Iris Grant. She had one younger brother, Paul S. Grant. After graduating high school at 16, she went to Houston to find fame and fortune like so many young people did from East Texas. Juanel went to a business school in Houston to learn how to become a secretary. She worked for an insurance company for a few years until she was swept off her feet in a whirlwind romance by a hometown boy. After a marriage that ended too soon in tragedy, she was left with a small child in the big city of Houston. She carried on with her secretarial job while her aunt cared for her little boy, Bobby. Then Juanel met J.J. and married to become a family of three. More children came along, Susan and then John. She moved to Louisiana and ended up in Shreveport in 1962. Juanel went back to work when the kids were old enough to take care of each other. She was the insurance clerk for Drs. John Hall, E.J. Smith, and Walter Asseff. She was sent to a class to learn the new Medicare system when it first came to be. Juanel formed lifelong friendships from that doctors' clinic. A new door opened and Juanel went to work at LSUS and retired from there after 25 years of exemplary service. She served on the very first Staff Senate, and after many glowing recommendations from several professors and deans she had worked with, she received the Outstanding Service Award. Juanel and J.J. lived in the same house for 55 years and had the same phone number with the original "686" prefix. She even saved the receipts for the utilities from back then at $10.00 each. So much has stayed the same, and yet so much has changed. J.J. passed away in 2013. Now, Juanel has left this world to be with him in Heaven. Soon there will be another family making memories in our old house. We hope they will enjoy it as much as we did. Graveside services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, November 6, 2017 at Jackson Cemetery in Joaquin, TX. Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Sunday, November 5, 2017 at Rose-Neath Southside Funeral Home. Juanel was preceded in death by her parents and husbands, Bob Holliday, Sr. and J.J. Votaw. Left to cherish her memory are her sons, Bob Holliday, Jr. and wife Marsha and John Votaw and wife Annette; daughter, Susan Burson and husband, Stanley; grandchildren, James Holliday (Charlene), Jason Burson (Lisa), Alissa Chamness (Clyde), Josh Burson (Krisha), John Votaw, Jr., and Lindsey Votaw; 14 great-grandchildren; brother, Paul Grant and wife Brenda; and many other family members. Honoring her as pallbearers will be Jason Burson, Joshua Burson, James Holliday, Clyde Chamness, John Votaw, Jr., and Jason Burson, Jr.