Juanita M. Bickel

1918 - 2023

Juanita M. (Hatfill) Bickel, age 104, of Mattoon passed away at 1:37 p.m. on Wednesday, December 20, 2023 at the Odd Fellow Rebekah Home.

Funeral services honoring her life will take place at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 28, 2023 at Schilling Funeral Home with Pastor Ron Dickinson officiating. Burial will follow at Janesville Cemetery. Visitation for family and friends will be held from 11:00 a.m. until the time of the service on Thursday at the funeral home.

Juanita was born on December 28, 1918 in Mattoon, the daughter of Claud and Zella (Evans) Hatfill. She married Gerald "Rex" Bickel on September 25, 1938. He preceded her in death on August 2, 1988.

Survivors include her sons, Lance (Deana) Bickel and Terry Bickel; grandchildren, Ross Bickel, Lahren (Jason) Siefert, Tyler (Lauren) Bickel and Ryan Bickel; great-grandchildren, Bailey Siefert, Colton and Connor Bickel; and several special nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband, Juanita was preceded in death by her parents; one precious grandson, Brandon Bickel; brothers, Vernon Hatfill, Norman Hatfill and Larry Hatfill; sister, Eleanor McConaha; sisters-in-law, Fern Hatfill, Mary Hatfill, Shirley Hatfill and Dorothy Bickel; brothers-in-law, Don Bickel and Lloyd McConaha.

After graduating from Lerna High School in 1937, Juanita worked for Illinois Consolidated as a telephone operator. Juanita resided in Mattoon while her husband was in the Army overseas and worked in the office at the Brown Shoe Factory. Juanita and Rex moved to Connersville, Indiana in 1941 where they resided for 47 years. During WWII, Juanita also worked in Connersville at the American Central Factory as an inspector on dive bomber airplane wings. She later worked as a telephone operator at the General Telephone Company. Juanita was elected as the Fayette County Indiana Recorder where she served a four-year term before retiring. She was a member of the Grand Avenue United Methodist Church in Connersville and the First United Methodist Church of Mattoon. After her husband passed away, Juanita returned to Mattoon. She loved having family gatherings and always cooked plenty of chicken and homemade noodles. Juanita enjoyed country music, dancing, working puzzles and playing cards with her Theos friends. Juanita will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved her.

Memorial donations in her honor may be given to the First United Methodist Church, 1601 Charleston Avenue, Mattoon, Illinois 61938. Online condolences may be expressed at www.schillingfuneralhome.net or Schilling Funeral Home's Facebook page.