Juanita Sassaman, 95
Juanita J. (Fetters) Sassaman, 95, Red Oak, formerly of Ottumwa, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, at Montgomery County Memorial Hospital.
Juanita was born June 3, 1928, in Lacona, the daughter of Harvey L. “Mike” and Vera (Musselman) Fetters. She graduated from Indianola High School in 1946. While in Red Oak, she worked for Montgomery Ward and Murphy Calendar Company. She retired from Vaughn Chevrolet in Ottumwa.
Juanita was very devoted to her church, where she held many offices at Pickwick Community Church in Ottumwa. She currently attended Grace Baptist Church in Red Oak, where she moved in 2020.
She enjoyed spending as much time as possible with her grandchildren and was known to be “quite spirited” at their ball games. One of the highlights of her life was when her father was honored on Ralph Edwards’ show “This is Your Life” in 1958.
Juanita was married in 1946, and to this union two daughters were born, Pamela Dee and Janet Lee. In 1976, she married Paul (Max) Sassaman and lovingly gained another daughter, Beverly.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Max; brothers, James Fetters and Wendell Fetters; sister-in-law, Jean Fetters; stepson, Ralph Sassaman; grandsons, David Miller and Carlos Ayala; nephew, Michael Fetters; and son-in-law, John K. Miller, Jr.
She will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by three daughters: Pam (Steve) Jones of Red Oak, Janet Davis of Ottumwa, and Beverly Miller of Germantown, Tennessee. Also surviving are grandchildren, Callie (Chris) Elwood of Mount Ayr; Andrew (Amanda) Hansen of Griswold; Josh (Katie) Hansen of Granger; John K. (Rhonda) Miller III of Marshalltown; Steven (Carmen) Miller of Germantown; Holly Miller of California; Sean Sassaman of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Misti Knowles of Chillicothe, Texas; sister-in–law, Pat Fetters of Indianola; brother-in-law, Jim Sassaman of Ames; 17 great-grandchildren, Dalton, Karly, Cale, Case, Maverick, Jake, Ryan, John IV, Megan, Matthew, Ariel, Liam, Henry, Oliver, Jessika, Maddy, and Max; seven great-great-grandchildren, Johnny, Max, Stevie, Knox, Kennedy, Cecelia and Landon; and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Services will be held Friday, Oct. 6, at 10 a.m., at Reece’s Funeral Home in Ottumwa. A small celebration of life will be held, at a later date, at the I. O. O. F. Cemetery in Indianola.
In charge of arrangements are Nelson-Boylan-LeRette Funeral Chapel in Red Oak and Reece’s funeral home in Ottumwa.