Obituary - Laura "Juanita" Atchison

Laura "Juanita" Atchison, 87, passed away of natural causes on Wednesday, March 11, 2015, at Northern Montana Care Center.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, March 16, 2015, at Van Orsdel United Methodist Church with Pastor John Ulrich officiating. Juanita's family has requested that memorial donations be made to the Havre Eagles Auxiliary, 202 1st St., or to Bear Paw Hospice, PO Box 1231, Havre.

Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with services and arrangements. Please visit Juanita's online memorial page and leave a message of condolence for her family at http://www.hollandbonine.com.

Juanita was born on Aug. 20, 1927, in Havre to Henry and Lorraine (Hetherington) DeMars. She was raised in Havre and Chinook. Following her school years, she married Ernest LaTray, and the couple later divorced. Juanita worked at the hospital in housekeeping for several years. In 1959, she married Harry Atchison in Chinook, and their union was blessed with a daughter. He worked construction all over the state, while Juanita worked for the state of Montana through the Hill County Extension office. She later obtained her CNA, and put her certification to use for Home Health and Hospice.

After retirement at the age of 77, she volunteered at Northern Montana Hospital and for Bear Paw Hospice, sitting with people and reading to them to make them comfortable.

She was a happy, outgoing woman who always kept busy. When she and Harry were younger, they traveled with their daughter and grandchildren for amateur boxing. He as a coach and she as a judge. Juanita enjoyed socializing and word-find puzzles. Throughout her life, Juanita was a compassionate caregiver who was always smiling.

She was an enrolled member of the Little Shell Chippewa tribe and a member of the Havre Eagles Auxiliary.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Lorraine DeMar; and her half-brother, Phil Johnson.

Juanita is survived by her daughter, Toni Jo Atchison (Jerome Anderson) of Vaughn; her grandchildren, Misti (Josh) Mountford of Foster, Rhode Island, and Nick Ost of Havre; her three great-grandchildren, Alex, Ariel and Ainsley Ost; her stepson, Russell J. (Shirley) Atchison of Cheney, Washington; her sisters, Margaret (Norman) Maze of Havre and Marleen (Bob) Jewell of Great Falls; and numerous beloved nieces, nephews and other extended family and friends.