LAKELAND - Juanita Feemster Black, 89, died of complications of Alzheimer's disease at home on Tuesday, October 23rd, 2018. Mrs. Black was born in Rock Hill, South Carolina to Rebecca Pratt Bryan and Erskine LeRoy Feemster. She moved to Bradenton, Florida in 1939 and graduated from Bradenton High School in 1946. She attended Huntington College in Montgomery, Alabama where she met James I. Black, Jr. They married in June of 1948. After graduation in June of 1949, they began their life together in New Orleans where Jim attended graduate school and Juanita was employed as an Archivist for the library at Tulane University.
In 1950, the Blacks moved to Lakeland and joined the First Presbyterian Church, which became one of Juanita's great loves. Through the years she served as a Sunday school teacher, Circle leader, Bible Moderator, Elder, Clerk of the Session and Chairman of the Pastor Nominating Committee. She was elected an Honorary Life Member of the Women of the Church in 1983. She was also active in the Presbytery of Tampa Bay serving on the New Church Development Committee as well as the Presbytery Committee on Ministry.
Mrs. Black was active in numerous civic and charitable organizations. She was President of the Junior Woman's Club, a member of the Junior League of Greater Lakeland, the Chairman and a member of the board of Lakeland Little Theatre, and President of Cleveland Court Elementary PTA. She also was active in the founding group of the Polk Children's Museum, now the Polk Museum of Art, the Friends of the Library, the Hospital Foundation Board, the board of VISTE and was a loyal member and board member of the Surgeon General Matthew Fuller Chapter of the Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century.
While Juanita was very proud of her South Carolina roots, she grew to love Lakeland. Her interest in preserving and maintaining the beauty of old Lakeland became her passion. She served on the Historic Lakeland Board several times and twice served as President. Her leadership role preserving some of Lakeland's most precious and historic treasures is well documented and in preservation circles bordered on being legendary. In the mid-1970s, she led a drive to raise funds and enlist city support for the very successful project which led to the restoration of the Lake Mirror Promenade. She later led drives to establish the Munn Park Historic District and to save the historic Coca-Cola building and the original Lakeland High School when both were facing demolition. Thanks to her efforts, these buildings were transformed into headquarters for the Lakeland Fire Department and the Lawton Chiles Middle Academy, respectively. In 2002, Mrs. Black received one of the two State of Florida Preservation Awards given in recognition of Outstanding Individual Achievement and Distinguished Service in the Field of Preservation. In 2007, Historic Lakeland and the City of Lakeland presented her with their first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to leading drives to save old structures, she also ran Historic Lakeland's annual collectible Christmas ornament fundraiser for 20 years.
In her spare time, Juanita enjoyed reading, playing bridge, going to Gator football and Florida Southern basketball games, and spending time with her family.
She will best be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. She was predeceased by her husband of 58 years, James I. Black, Jr. and her sister Doris Anderson. She is survived by her children, James Isaac Black, III (Vikki), Gerald LeRoy Black (Cheryl), Becky Charles (Ray), and Doris Lyons (Tom). She is also survived by ten grandchildren: Jennifer (Joshua Rogers), Katharine Davis (Tracy), Stephanie (Guillermo Castillo), Gerald LeRoy Black, Jr. (Jason Bates), Cassie Greatens (Jacob), Rebecca Arrington (Stuart), Margaret Packer (Mike), Eugene Ray Charles, Jr. (Mary Katherine), Matthew W. Lyons (Stephanie), Stacey L. Clyne (Kyle) and 14 great-grandchildren.
A visitation will be held October 29th from 5:00 to 7:00 in the Heath Funeral Chapel Tribute Center in Lakeland. The funeral will be on October 30th at 2:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church in Lakeland with the Reverend Mike Louden officiating.
Published in Ledger from Oct. 25 to Oct. 26, 2018
In 1950, the Blacks moved to Lakeland and joined the First Presbyterian Church, which became one of Juanita's great loves. Through the years she served as a Sunday school teacher, Circle leader, Bible Moderator, Elder, Clerk of the Session and Chairman of the Pastor Nominating Committee. She was elected an Honorary Life Member of the Women of the Church in 1983. She was also active in the Presbytery of Tampa Bay serving on the New Church Development Committee as well as the Presbytery Committee on Ministry.
Mrs. Black was active in numerous civic and charitable organizations. She was President of the Junior Woman's Club, a member of the Junior League of Greater Lakeland, the Chairman and a member of the board of Lakeland Little Theatre, and President of Cleveland Court Elementary PTA. She also was active in the founding group of the Polk Children's Museum, now the Polk Museum of Art, the Friends of the Library, the Hospital Foundation Board, the board of VISTE and was a loyal member and board member of the Surgeon General Matthew Fuller Chapter of the Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century.
While Juanita was very proud of her South Carolina roots, she grew to love Lakeland. Her interest in preserving and maintaining the beauty of old Lakeland became her passion. She served on the Historic Lakeland Board several times and twice served as President. Her leadership role preserving some of Lakeland's most precious and historic treasures is well documented and in preservation circles bordered on being legendary. In the mid-1970s, she led a drive to raise funds and enlist city support for the very successful project which led to the restoration of the Lake Mirror Promenade. She later led drives to establish the Munn Park Historic District and to save the historic Coca-Cola building and the original Lakeland High School when both were facing demolition. Thanks to her efforts, these buildings were transformed into headquarters for the Lakeland Fire Department and the Lawton Chiles Middle Academy, respectively. In 2002, Mrs. Black received one of the two State of Florida Preservation Awards given in recognition of Outstanding Individual Achievement and Distinguished Service in the Field of Preservation. In 2007, Historic Lakeland and the City of Lakeland presented her with their first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to leading drives to save old structures, she also ran Historic Lakeland's annual collectible Christmas ornament fundraiser for 20 years.
In her spare time, Juanita enjoyed reading, playing bridge, going to Gator football and Florida Southern basketball games, and spending time with her family.
She will best be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. She was predeceased by her husband of 58 years, James I. Black, Jr. and her sister Doris Anderson. She is survived by her children, James Isaac Black, III (Vikki), Gerald LeRoy Black (Cheryl), Becky Charles (Ray), and Doris Lyons (Tom). She is also survived by ten grandchildren: Jennifer (Joshua Rogers), Katharine Davis (Tracy), Stephanie (Guillermo Castillo), Gerald LeRoy Black, Jr. (Jason Bates), Cassie Greatens (Jacob), Rebecca Arrington (Stuart), Margaret Packer (Mike), Eugene Ray Charles, Jr. (Mary Katherine), Matthew W. Lyons (Stephanie), Stacey L. Clyne (Kyle) and 14 great-grandchildren.
A visitation will be held October 29th from 5:00 to 7:00 in the Heath Funeral Chapel Tribute Center in Lakeland. The funeral will be on October 30th at 2:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church in Lakeland with the Reverend Mike Louden officiating.
Published in Ledger from Oct. 25 to Oct. 26, 2018
LAKELAND - Juanita Feemster Black, 89, died of complications of Alzheimer's disease at home on Tuesday, October 23rd, 2018. Mrs. Black was born in Rock Hill, South Carolina to Rebecca Pratt Bryan and Erskine LeRoy Feemster. She moved to Bradenton, Florida in 1939 and graduated from Bradenton High School in 1946. She attended Huntington College in Montgomery, Alabama where she met James I. Black, Jr. They married in June of 1948. After graduation in June of 1949, they began their life together in New Orleans where Jim attended graduate school and Juanita was employed as an Archivist for the library at Tulane University.
In 1950, the Blacks moved to Lakeland and joined the First Presbyterian Church, which became one of Juanita's great loves. Through the years she served as a Sunday school teacher, Circle leader, Bible Moderator, Elder, Clerk of the Session and Chairman of the Pastor Nominating Committee. She was elected an Honorary Life Member of the Women of the Church in 1983. She was also active in the Presbytery of Tampa Bay serving on the New Church Development Committee as well as the Presbytery Committee on Ministry.
Mrs. Black was active in numerous civic and charitable organizations. She was President of the Junior Woman's Club, a member of the Junior League of Greater Lakeland, the Chairman and a member of the board of Lakeland Little Theatre, and President of Cleveland Court Elementary PTA. She also was active in the founding group of the Polk Children's Museum, now the Polk Museum of Art, the Friends of the Library, the Hospital Foundation Board, the board of VISTE and was a loyal member and board member of the Surgeon General Matthew Fuller Chapter of the Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century.
While Juanita was very proud of her South Carolina roots, she grew to love Lakeland. Her interest in preserving and maintaining the beauty of old Lakeland became her passion. She served on the Historic Lakeland Board several times and twice served as President. Her leadership role preserving some of Lakeland's most precious and historic treasures is well documented and in preservation circles bordered on being legendary. In the mid-1970s, she led a drive to raise funds and enlist city support for the very successful project which led to the restoration of the Lake Mirror Promenade. She later led drives to establish the Munn Park Historic District and to save the historic Coca-Cola building and the original Lakeland High School when both were facing demolition. Thanks to her efforts, these buildings were transformed into headquarters for the Lakeland Fire Department and the Lawton Chiles Middle Academy, respectively. In 2002, Mrs. Black received one of the two State of Florida Preservation Awards given in recognition of Outstanding Individual Achievement and Distinguished Service in the Field of Preservation. In 2007, Historic Lakeland and the City of Lakeland presented her with their first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to leading drives to save old structures, she also ran Historic Lakeland's annual collectible Christmas ornament fundraiser for 20 years.
In her spare time, Juanita enjoyed reading, playing bridge, going to Gator football and Florida Southern basketball games, and spending time with her family.
She will best be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. She was predeceased by her husband of 58 years, James I. Black, Jr. and her sister Doris Anderson. She is survived by her children, James Isaac Black, III (Vikki), Gerald LeRoy Black (Cheryl), Becky Charles (Ray), and Doris Lyons (Tom). She is also survived by ten grandchildren: Jennifer (Joshua Rogers), Katharine Davis (Tracy), Stephanie (Guillermo Castillo), Gerald LeRoy Black, Jr. (Jason Bates), Cassie Greatens (Jacob), Rebecca Arrington (Stuart), Margaret Packer (Mike), Eugene Ray Charles, Jr. (Mary Katherine), Matthew W. Lyons (Stephanie), Stacey L. Clyne (Kyle) and 14 great-grandchildren.
A visitation will be held October 29th from 5:00 to 7:00 in the Heath Funeral Chapel Tribute Center in Lakeland. The funeral will be on October 30th at 2:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church in Lakeland with the Reverend Mike Louden officiating.
Published in Ledger from Oct. 25 to Oct. 26, 2018
In 1950, the Blacks moved to Lakeland and joined the First Presbyterian Church, which became one of Juanita's great loves. Through the years she served as a Sunday school teacher, Circle leader, Bible Moderator, Elder, Clerk of the Session and Chairman of the Pastor Nominating Committee. She was elected an Honorary Life Member of the Women of the Church in 1983. She was also active in the Presbytery of Tampa Bay serving on the New Church Development Committee as well as the Presbytery Committee on Ministry.
Mrs. Black was active in numerous civic and charitable organizations. She was President of the Junior Woman's Club, a member of the Junior League of Greater Lakeland, the Chairman and a member of the board of Lakeland Little Theatre, and President of Cleveland Court Elementary PTA. She also was active in the founding group of the Polk Children's Museum, now the Polk Museum of Art, the Friends of the Library, the Hospital Foundation Board, the board of VISTE and was a loyal member and board member of the Surgeon General Matthew Fuller Chapter of the Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century.
While Juanita was very proud of her South Carolina roots, she grew to love Lakeland. Her interest in preserving and maintaining the beauty of old Lakeland became her passion. She served on the Historic Lakeland Board several times and twice served as President. Her leadership role preserving some of Lakeland's most precious and historic treasures is well documented and in preservation circles bordered on being legendary. In the mid-1970s, she led a drive to raise funds and enlist city support for the very successful project which led to the restoration of the Lake Mirror Promenade. She later led drives to establish the Munn Park Historic District and to save the historic Coca-Cola building and the original Lakeland High School when both were facing demolition. Thanks to her efforts, these buildings were transformed into headquarters for the Lakeland Fire Department and the Lawton Chiles Middle Academy, respectively. In 2002, Mrs. Black received one of the two State of Florida Preservation Awards given in recognition of Outstanding Individual Achievement and Distinguished Service in the Field of Preservation. In 2007, Historic Lakeland and the City of Lakeland presented her with their first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to leading drives to save old structures, she also ran Historic Lakeland's annual collectible Christmas ornament fundraiser for 20 years.
In her spare time, Juanita enjoyed reading, playing bridge, going to Gator football and Florida Southern basketball games, and spending time with her family.
She will best be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. She was predeceased by her husband of 58 years, James I. Black, Jr. and her sister Doris Anderson. She is survived by her children, James Isaac Black, III (Vikki), Gerald LeRoy Black (Cheryl), Becky Charles (Ray), and Doris Lyons (Tom). She is also survived by ten grandchildren: Jennifer (Joshua Rogers), Katharine Davis (Tracy), Stephanie (Guillermo Castillo), Gerald LeRoy Black, Jr. (Jason Bates), Cassie Greatens (Jacob), Rebecca Arrington (Stuart), Margaret Packer (Mike), Eugene Ray Charles, Jr. (Mary Katherine), Matthew W. Lyons (Stephanie), Stacey L. Clyne (Kyle) and 14 great-grandchildren.
A visitation will be held October 29th from 5:00 to 7:00 in the Heath Funeral Chapel Tribute Center in Lakeland. The funeral will be on October 30th at 2:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church in Lakeland with the Reverend Mike Louden officiating.
Published in Ledger from Oct. 25 to Oct. 26, 2018
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
