On the morning of Wednesday, September 25th, Juanita answered her call home by her heavenly Father, whose peace passes all understanding. Juanita was born on November 28, 1953, in the town of Laurinburg, North Carolina, Juanita Beatrice Bethea entered this world as the firstborn child to the late (great) James Arthur and Cora Lee Bethea. As a young child, Juanita was introduced to Jesus Christ by her loving grandmother Carrie Bell Gillespie. Before the age of five, Juanita would learn to recite the Lord’s prayer and neighboring passages in the Book of Psalms without flaw. It was under her grandmother’s care that she, her three younger siblings, and their family dog Joe remained in Laurinburg while her parents traveled North to Prepare a life of opportunity for their children.
Saddened by having to leave Joe (family dog) behind, Juanita, her parents, siblings, and grandmother settled in Paterson, New Jersey in winter of 1961; it is here where she would discover her love for education. She was enrolled in Paterson School Number 28 and was immediately pushed forward (skipped) a grade after being deemed sufficiently advanced in all grade level subjects. With this newly found phenomenon, Juanita’s hunger to learn more about Jesus Christ grew. As Carrie Bell cared for her grandchildren while their parents worked, she would teach them the word of God through various Bible scriptures and songs. Armed with these teachings and what seemed like the daily attendance of church services (four-five nights a week), wholeheartedly, Juanita accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and was baptized by Rev. Robinson of Cool Springs Baptist Church, Englewood, New Jersey, shortly before the passing of her father James.
After graduating from John F. Kennedy High School in the year 1972, Juanita joined her beloved Aunt and Godmother, Mary Scott, in Boston, Massachusetts, where she would later earn her associates degree in Secretarial Studies from Berkeley Business College. While making frequent trips between Paterson and Boston to visit family and friends, Juanita often taught her siblings the latest fads and dances such as “The Bust Stop”, “The Hustle, “Hopscotch”, and “Double Dutch”, until deciding to become a permanent resident of Paterson in 1975. Realizing her taste for fashion, Juanita worked several retail jobs which became the catalyst for the sassy persona and alter ego, J.B. Satin Lady. With the support of her family and friends, J.B. Satin Lady (Juanita) would go on to host many social events and fashion shows across Paterson and Englewood, New Jersey.
While working at JC Penny’s department store, Juanita accepted a full-time administrative position with Passaic County Board of Social Services in December 1980, where she would later retire in 2021. Throughout her forty (40) years of serving her community as a social servant, Juanita would develop many lasting friendships, relationships, and touch the lives of countless individuals along the way. Often, she was a guide and a helping hand to those facing challenges navigating the social service system. As a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, Juanita felt it was her duty to help others in any way she could; oftentimes, these acts of service included giving her last dollar to someone so they too can have food to eat. Her faith in Jesus Christ and love for others deepened as her spiritual appetite was fed through the teachings of her Pastors, (late) Rev. Edward and Rev. Arlie Shropshire of Neighborhood Baptist Church of Paterson, New Jersey, where she served as an active member for more than thirty-five years until her untimely passing. Juanita was loved.
Juanita is Survived by a life companion, Clifford Sykes, dear friend Carol Gargia, four (4) sisters, Ora Lee Moore, of Maysville, California, Norma (Junious) Rearden, of Turberville, South Carolina, Michele Bethea, of Wayne, New Jersey, Denise Bathea, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, three (3) brothers, James (Gulena) Bethea, of Paterson, New Jersey, Kary (Cassandra) Bethea, of Laurinburg, North Carolina, Ollie Bethea of Woodlawn, New Jersey, Godson De’ Travius (Kim) Bethea, three (3) Nephews of Distinction, De’ Andre Gurley, Dyia Bethea, David (Lori) Bethea; five (5) Nieces of Distinction, Lakera Bethea, Erica Bethea, Akera Bethea; Wynter Bethea; Zuri Bethea; and a host of other loving nephews, nieces, family, and friends, as well as her church family.
Most of all, Juanita will be remembered for the kindness, love, and compassion shown to others, her deeply rooted faith in Jesus Christ, her earnest responsibility of pushing others to excel in life, her advocacy for education, and the resilience she instilled in young girls and women to find their voice, their sassiness, and their inner most trusted “Satin Lady”.