Juanita Goins Estes

Mrs. Juanita Goins Estes , 93, passed away from complications of a stroke on Friday, October 14, 2016.  Born in LaFollette, TN, in 1923, she was the third of nine children born to Kelly and Mary Pearl Goins.  She reared her children in the church and was a former member of Wallace Memorial Baptist in Knoxville and Rehobeth Baptist in Tucker, GA.

Juanita was a loving mother to Sandra Estes Turner and Edwin Estes, Knoxville, and doting grandmother to Scott Andrew (Denise) Turner in Nashville, TN, and Rachel Elizabeth (Heath) Clucas in New Zealand.  She is great-grandmother to Minho Elias Turner, 6 years old, and Eli Oliver Clucas, 8 ½ mos.  Many thanks for support go to surviving sisters Elaine and Barbara Goins of Dayton, Ohio, and brothers, Kenneth (Betty) Goins of Cleveland, TN, and Clester Goins of Hammond, IN, as well as nephews Marvin Miller and Mike Gentry and nieces Maxine Goins and Vickie Braden.

Following the family tradition of her ancestor Daniel Going, who was a member of Virginia’s 5th regiment during the American Revolutionary War and her father, a soldier in WWI, she was a WWII patriot.  Before the age of 20, she aided her generation’s war effort on an assembly line of B24 bombers at a plant in Michigan.  When the secret city of Oak Ridge neared completion, she came home to work at the Y-12 Plant and unknowingly joined in the race to build the first atomic bomb.  It was there that she met Wilbur Estes, now deceased, and their marriage lasted 38 years.  Juanita also worked at Levi Strauss & Co. and White Stores on Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville.

Preceding her in death was older brother Cpl. Harvey Goins, a WWII member of the 371st Bombardment Squadron who received the presidential citation for the first raid on Truk, the good conduct medal, Asiatic and Pacific Campaign medals and two battle stars.  Also deceased is younger brother, Ralph, who served in the U.S. Air Force in Japan, special sisters, Evelyn Miller and Margie Gentry, and an infant grandchild, Jonathan Patrick Turner.

Family and friends will meet at Walters Funeral Home in LaFollette, TN, at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, October 16 for a private viewing before proceeding to Campbell Memorial Gardens for graveside services and interment with Rev. Bill Braden leading a celebration of her life.  Online condolences can be made at www.waltersfuneralhome.net.  Walters Funeral Home is honored to be serving the family of Mrs. Juanita Goins Estes.