Juanita June Vernagus

Vernagus, Juanita June (Mathews) 90, of Sanford, Florida, passed peacefully on March 29, 2012, after suffering a stroke earlier in the month. Formerly a resident of Detroit, Michigan, for nearly 55 years, she was preceded in death in 1998 by her beloved husband of over 50 years, John "Jack" Vernagus. In 1999, after her husband's passing, June moved to Florida to live with her dear younger sister, Ruth E Clark (Mathews), with whom she shared an extraordinary bond across their entire lives and who was then also widowed from husband, Thomas E. Clark. They lived together for over 10 years until Ruth's death in 2010. After a long working career as an office worker in banking and retail, June spent her retirement years focused on family gatherings, traveling and keeping attuned to current affairs. She remained highly active and was "out on the town" on a regular basis up until the last few months prior to her passing. June was born in Prudence, West Virginia, to Neva and Corbett Mathews and remained in the area until graduating from high school at Oak Hill, West Virginia. Always keeping close to her roots, she regularly returned "back home" for holidays, family occasions and town events. Her last trip was just over a year ago to commemorate her 70th class reunion. Besides her husband, sister and parents, also predeceasing June were her brothers Herbert, Orville and James Mathews and their wives. She is survived by her only child, John Thomas Vernagus, whom she loved so dearly and devoted her life to, as well as numerous generations of nieces and nephews. Visitation and services will be Wednesday, April 4, 2012, from 10 until 11 AM at the Baldwin-Fairchild Oaklawn Chapel, 5000 County Road 46A, Sanford, Florida, 32771. Interment will be at 2 PM at the Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, Florida, 33513, where she will be laid to rest next to her husband.