Juanita June Blevins

Juanita June Perfect was born July 14, 1928 in Canton, Dewey County, Oklahoma, the oldest child of Ollie Elizabeth (Wion) and Francis Marion Perfect, and died at the home of her son in Hugo, Colorado December 21, 2023 at age 95.

Juanita and her siblings were raised on their parents’ farm, where they helped in the cotton fields and with other farm work, and attended a small school. In 1943, the family was compelled to move away from Oklahoma due to the lingering effects of the dust bowl days and the father’s resulting poor health. They relocated at Caldwell, Idaho, where most of the family members worked in the fruit orchards whenever they were able. Juanita finished high school there, graduating in 1946. For a time following high school, she was employed by an insurance agency.

Her uncle, Grant Wion, had located in Caldwell also, not far from Juanita’s family. He had married a Colorado widow, Mary Ethel Blevins, and during their time in Idaho, Ethel’s son, Roy W. Blevins, visited while on leave from service in the U. S. Navy. Roy met Grant’s niece, Juanita Perfect, and ultimately, Juanita and Roy were married January 3, 1947 in Caldwell, Idaho. This marriage produced one son, Terry Wayne Blevins.

The young family lived for a time in Brown’s Park, Colorado, where Roy worked with his older brother, Thomas, on his ranch. The family then moved to Rock Springs, Wyoming where Roy was employed in the coalmines. Then, following a stint as a farm laborer near Nampa, Idaho, Roy moved the family back to northwestern Colorado to a tiny community called Blue Mountain.

Juanita spent most of her younger days as a housewife and mother, and when Roy was employed as a roustabout in the oil fields near Blue Mountain, it didn’t seem to increase her enjoyment of life in the three-room house set in the sagebrush there!

Later, the company transferred Roy to Wyoming where he worked nearly 30 years in the oil fields around Worland, Riverton, Lander and Evanston. He retired as a field foreman in 1980. During the 1960s and ‘70s, Juanita worked at several Wyoming banks as bookkeeper and teller, and enjoyed the company of elderly ladies she met during her work or at church. She was a longtime member of the Caldwell, Idaho Church of Christ.

Following Roy’s retirement, the couple moved to Delta, Colorado where they were attracted by the mild climate and small-town atmosphere of the area. Once there, Juanita resumed her lifetime activity of making friends with elderly ladies in the community, and she began to visit residents of local nursing homes, as well.

Roy and Juanita enjoyed their retirement, living more than 30 years in the house at Delta. However, in later years, both developed age-related health issues, and for Juanita, a series of falls and broken bones.

In October 2012, her son decided to take his parents to Hugo, Colorado to spend a long holiday season with his family. Roy’s health issues continued to plague him, however, and 10 days before Christmas, Roy passed away in an Aurora, Colorado hospital. Unable to live alone, Juanita stayed on in Hugo until she died.

Juanita is survived by her son Terry W. Blevins (Dee Ann) of Hugo, Colorado; by five grandchildren, Karina M. Low of Delta, Colorado, Lani D. Blevins of Hugo, Colorado, Ginger H. Grauberger of Springfield, Oregon, Benjamin T. Blevins (Tara) of Euharlee, Georgia, and Cortney D. Brummond (Max) of Springfield, Oregon; by eight great grandchildren, Sidney M. Gotto of Aurora, Colorado, Jordan A. Low (Gerald Wilkerson) of Beaverton, Oregon, Maximus C. and Ronin D. Brummond of Springfield, Oregon, and Olivia R. Doss, Mark M. Richardson Jr., Hannah C. and Thomas W. Blevins, all of Euharlee, Georgia. Juanita’s sister, Arvylla M. Breshears of Nampa, Idaho also survives her, as do numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Juanita was preceded in death by her husband, Roy Blevins and his siblings, by her parents, by her brothers, Harold E. Perfect (and sister-in-law, Betty), and John D. Perfect.

Funeral services will be held January 4 at 1 p.m. at the Taylor Funeral Home Chapel in Delta, Colorado, with burial beside her husband, Roy, at the Delta Municipal Cemetery. Services will be officiated by Brenda Dutro, sister of Juanita’s daughter-in-law. Honorary pallbearers will be nephews and family friends. All funeral arrangements were by Taylor Funeral Service of Delta.

A memorial service is planned in the Spring at Caldwell, Idaho, for her Idaho relatives.