Located within the John F. Fleming Memorial Park is a dedicated bench tucked away under a tree and nearby shrubbery. There's an inscription on the bench that reads:
Juanita Prefontaine
1933 to 2013
Remembered with Joy and Love
I found a nice obituary online on Juanita that reads:
Audrey Juanita Prefontaine died May 27, 2013 at age 79, in Iowa City, IA at home she shared for several years with her daughter and son-in-law, Sue and John Little.
Juanita and her twin were born October 23, 1933 in Post, Texas, the fifth and sixth children of Thomas Cleburne and Alice Mae Fly Lane. They were dry land farmers who eventually resorted to picking cotton throughout the South to survive the Great Depression and dust bowl years. Part of the family moved to California during WWII and she graduated from high school in Fresno and married Robert Clifton Brown in 1952. They had six children before he moved on 10 years later and left the family in Wimer, OR. Times were hard and it was the kindness and groceries from neighbors and Juanita’s determination that kept the family going. Times improved when she began delivering rural newspapers for the Medford Mail Tribune. And improved more after she married Edward R. Prefontaine in 1967 and he helped raise her family as if they were his own. For thirty-five years she was a realtor and later broker-owner of a Century 21 office and Prefontaine Realty in Rogue River. She was active in the Wimer Fire Department budget group, the League of Women’s Voters, the Democratic Partyand Kiwanis and was selected as volunteer of the year in 2005 for making several hundred stuffed cloth dolls and bags for children being treated at the S. Oregon hospitals.
At age 72, Juanita suffered a devastating traumatic brain injury after fell from a ladder at her home. She was in a coma for two weeks, lost most of her speech and the use of her right side. In typical Juanita fashion, she remained cheerful and with therapies and determination she figured out ways to manage and walk with a leg brace and assistance. She enjoyed doing activities and using the sewing machine, making jewelry and baskets, doing puzzles, playing solitaire, crafts and gardening. Movies and Jeopardy were mandatory. She loved to fly and have adventures and fortunately was able to travel with Sue and John to ring her cowbell at Ironman races and for family gatherings and vacations in many Bucket List locations, including the Grand Canyon and New York City.
Juanita is survived by her six children, Susan (John) Little of Iowa City; Robert Prefontaine of Naukati, AK and his three children (Maria, Delaney and Marcus); Tony (Brenda)Brown of Roseburg, OR and theirfour daughters (Amy,Angela, Rachael, Elizabeth plus amazing granddaughter Brianna); Steve (An) Prefontaine and their daughter Sistine of Sierra Madre, CA; Roger Prefontaine of Williams, OR and sons Emanuel and Thomas; and Linda Prefontaine and son Allen Rider of Alto, NM. She is also survived by her twin Alice Juanice (Roy) Vaughn of McKinleyville, CA and her 3 children; sister Lee (widow of Jake) Preslik of Visalia, CA and their seven children; sister Gene Stephenson of Chickasha, OK and her two children; brother Jack (Pat) Lane of Sun City, AZ and their two daughters; brother-in-law Roland (Monna) Prefontaine of Rogue River, OR; thirteen great grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren and two great-great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by Ed, her parents, brother Harry andsister Linda.
The family wishes to express their thanks to the therapists at Medford Rehabilitation Center and the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics; Dr. Neil Olsen of Center Point, OR; her dear neighbor and friend in Oregon, Larry Tuttle, and especially the staff at Pathways for helping us keep her at home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Jeff Kellbach, Director,Pathways Adult Day Health Center,817 Pepperwood Lane, Iowa City, IA 52240 or to your local foodbank. And, please, volunteer time in Juanita’s memory to Pathways or your favorite cause.