Juanita Fern (Walker) Huffman, age 93, departed this life on January 20, 2021. She was a true woman of faith who devoted her life to her family and many loved ones. She was born May 13, 1927 at Dogwood, Missouri , as the third child of Earl and Emma (Day) Walker. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Herbert Lee; two brothers, Donald Walker and James Doyle Walker, and one sister, Doris McCarty as well as their respective spouses. She likewise was predeceased by 8 of her 9 nephews. Surviving members of her family include: brother Dwight Walker and wife Jeannie of Mountain Home, Arkansas; nephew Nelson McCarty of Santa Fe, New Mexico; niece Erin Ulm and husband Carl of West Plains, Missouri; niece Kathy Martin and husband David of Fordland, Missouri; niece Linda Moore of Mansfield, Missouri; and niece Sharman Bennett and husband Andy of Springfield, Missouri. Other survivors include many great and great-great nieces, nephews, cousins, and dearly loved ones. Her constant companion in the home was her pet, Maggie. She was a surrogate mother to any number of children over the years, including: Katy, Linda, Donna, and Sandra.
She brought so much joy and laughter to everyone by loving big and sharing any treasures she might have. Through the generosity entrusted to her throughout her life, she set the bar of loyalty and trust to a very high level for everyone with whom she had contact. She was a lifelong cattle farmer with Herbert Lee, and additionally drove Bus No. 4 for the Ava School District for forty years. She treated every child on that bus as her very own. Fern lived independently in her home until Christmas Eve of 2020, when she contracted Covid. Unfortunately, she could not recover and spent her few remaining days in hospitals and the Heart of the Ozarks skilled nursing facility. Just saying, “she will be missed”, would have to be a sincerely incomplete compliment to her natural life of vitality and energy shared over time with so many friends.
Fern will be interred within the Goodhope Cemetery adjacent to her late husband, Herbert Lee Huffman under the direction of Clinkingbeard Funeral Home of Ava.
A Celebration of life will be held in her honor at a later date in the spring. For anyone caring to make a memorial contribution to Fern’s life, a consideration might be either St. Jude’s or the American Cancer Society.
