Juanita Durdin Felps of Silsbee passed away on March 7. She was born on June 25, 1917 in Kirbyville, Texas to John Goode Durdin and Martha Curry Durdin. Being the youngest of six children, she enjoyed having several parent figures and later being able to visit older married brothers and sisters. She graduated from Silsbee High School in 1935 and worked different jobs over the next few years including Collier Department Store and the Consolidated Steel Shipyard in Orange, TX. Her father died when she was in her early twenties, so she spent a great deal of time helping care for her mother.
Juanita met and began dating John Felps in 1941. Although many miles separated them during WWII, they continued to correspond and married on June 8, 1946 after he returned home. She and Johnny worked side by side throughout their life together, starting with their purchase of the Santa Fe Café in Silsbee and ending with retirement after many years at Steinhagen Oil Company in Beaumont.
Juanita was a long standing member of the First United Methodist Church of Silsbee. She was very active in the church and community, having served as a volunteer at the Christian Care Center and Silsbee Doctors Hospital, Sunday school teacher and MYF leader. She was a member of the Victory Sunday School Class, Primetimers, UMW and the Silsbee Garden Club. She was always directly involved in all aspects of her childrens activities. Her family was her life. She took great joy in gatherings and celebrations with her siblings and special events with her family.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her siblings and John Felps, her loving husband of 58 years. She is survived by her son, Gary Felps and wife Debbie of Southlake, TX ; daughters Sue Boatman of Austin, TX and Jena Gass and husband Wesley of Cedar Park, TX; granddaughters Ashley Jennings, Allyson Felps, Lyndsay Felps and Anna Gass; four great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be at Farmers Funeral Home on Thursday, March 10 from 5:00 PM until 7:30 PM. Services will be at 11:00 AM on Friday, March 11 at the First United Methodist Church of Silsbee with interment following at RS Farmer Memorial Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Silsbee.
