Juanita McLean

As a fire lights up and warms a room with its dancing sparks and soothing heat, Juanita McLean lit up the lives of those who knew her. She lived and loved with vitality, sharing joy and laughter with her loved ones. She knew about hard work and valued simple pleasures. Family was at the core of Juanita’s entrance into the world, and she treasured that her whole life.

Less than a year after the completion of World War II, Baltazar and Josefa Martinez welcomed a beautiful baby girl into their home. Born in Harlingen, Texas, on June 25, 1946, Juanita must have hit the ground running in her already bustling, hard-working home in order to keep up with her numerous older brothers and sisters. Family was an important part of Juanita’s life and offered ample opportunities for memories and fun.

Her father’s produce business gave her and her siblings plenty to do. They would work picking corn, tomatoes, and cotton. When she was sent to pick tomatoes, she sometimes provided herself with extra benefits. She would hide salt in her pockets and frequently perform informal taste tests. It was said that she ate more than she actually gathered. As the youngest of the sixteen children, she was sometimes subject to unusual tasks assigned by the other members of the family. During storms she was told that the youngest child was to go outside and form the sign of a cross in the air with a knife. When she got older, it occurred to her that standing outside with a raised knife while lightning rent the sky was probably not the best idea. It became a family joke that perhaps they had not had her best interests at heart.

As a member of a lively household, Juanita loved to be on the move. A common complaint during Juanita’s growing up years concerned her father’s driving speed. She felt he drove too slowly on the way to school and they were always late to church because of it. As a teenager, she was active in her high school. She helped in the Harlingen High School library, was involved in the choir, and was a member of both the softball and volleyball teams.

Juanita worked the day shift at Parke-Davis and had a habit of backing her car into her parking spot when she got to work. A gentleman named Brad McLean and his friend would sometimes bet on how long it would take her to back in perfectly. Sometimes it took three attempts. Brad found himself attracted to this cute bundle of energy and eventually these encounters in the parking lot led to a more serious relationship. Brad and Juanita dated for five years before they were married on October 14, 1989, at Grace Reformed Church.

Although her spirited nature was occasionally demonstrated through her stubbornness or her temper, it was also the characteristic that made her pleasant to be around. Juanita’s energy facilitated friendships and kept her on the go, taking care of not only her family and friends, but strangers as well. She was a loving mother and grandmother and she expressed that love with enthusiasm. She was open about expressing her opinions and encouraged her children to do the right thing, always wanting the best for them. Her overflowing generosity was shown as she helped at migrant camps, sharing needed items with numerous families.

Many of Juanita’s favorite activities involved the out-of-doors. She loved gardening, spending time at the beach, and could always be found anywhere there was a bonfire. She brought her appreciation for the outdoors into her home, making wreaths from pinecones and other crafts from natural materials. She lived in the Upper Peninsula for about seven years and always enjoyed the rolling hills, waterfalls, and unspoiled wooded areas of northern Michigan.

Unable to sit still for long, Juanita utilized her time in a variety of ways. She enjoyed walking around the malls and exercising her thrift at garage sales. She was a talented seamstress as well, and enjoyed music, especially light rock, country, and Tejano pieces. Sometimes her brisk pace caused her to get dressed in such a hurry that she would don two different shoes. Not one to wait for things to come to her, she often made her own roads in life, even if that meant doing u-turns on the expressway. She loved beans and rice, cauliflower with cheese, and fresh flour tortillas. Indoors or out, however, her greatest joy was spending time with her grandchildren.

Juanita is survived by her husband of fourteen years, Bradley McLean; her children, Jose Jr. and Brandy Garcia, Javier and Juanita Garcia, and James Slagter, all of Holland; eight grandchildren; three brothers, Manuel (Veva) Martinez of Victoria, Texas, Fransico (Carmen) Martinez of San Jose, CA. and Rodolfo (Lala) Martinez of Irving, Texas; six sisters, Maria Martinez of San Antonio, TX, Longina (Beto) Cardenas, Guadalupe Olivares, and Ana Maria (Felipe) Salazar all of Harlingen, Texas, Refugia (Frank) Sandoval of Alamo, TX and Josefa (Alfred) Perez of Grand Prairie, Texas; in-laws Tom McLean of Shady Hills, Florida, Paul and Linda McLean of Sikeston, Missouri, Truman and Carol McLean of Dafter, Michigan, Alfred and Sandy McLean of Rudyard, Michigan, Raaen and Laura McLean of San Diego, California, Joann and Locy Riley of Hesperia, Michigan, Jeanna and Bill Meyers of Sault Saint Marie, Michigan.

Juanita passed away Friday, October 3, 2003, at the age of fifty-seven. She was preceded in death by her parents, Baltazar and Josefa Martinez; brothers Gregorio, Amado, and Ramiro; sister Margarita; and a granddaughter, Similla Slagter.

Friends will be received on Tuesday, October 7, from 2-4 PM and 7-9 PM at the Mulder Chapel, Dykstra Funeral Homes, 188 W 32nd Street, Holland, Michigan, with wake prayers at 8:00 PM. Funeral services will be Wednesday, October 8, at 11:00 AM at the St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, the Reverend Charles Brown officiating. Burial will be in Mission Hill Cemetery in Brimley, Michigan. To read Juanita’s complete life story, share a memory, send flowers, or make a memorial contribution to the March of Dimes, please visit her personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com.

Juanita was full of life and her vigor brought joy to those around her. They will cherish the memories of her energetic spirit and her love.