Frances Juanita Wahl Milam was born April 12, 1923 in Madisonville, Tenn. to
James Frank “J.F.” Wahl and Zelpha Zola “Z” House Wahl and died peacefully on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009 in Mountain Home. She had a sister, Lillian Louisa “Billy Lou” Wahl (Hatfield). The family moved to Helena in 1924 where Juanita grew up and graduated from Helena High School in 1940. She went to Hendrix College for two years then transferred to the University of Arkansas where she received her BA in Journalism in March 1944. She enlisted in the WAC that same month and served until December 1945 with the Army Air Corps as a public relations specialist in Miami Beach, Atlantic City and Santa Ana, Calif.
In 1946 Juanita accepted a civilian position with the War Department in Seoul, Korea and served with the XXIV Corps Occupation’s Intelligence Section. It was here she met her future husband, Ford Morrison Milam, who was later an agricultural attaché in the U.S. Foreign Service. After marrying, she spent the next 12 years living in various posts such as El Salvador, India, Israel, Liberia, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She returned to Helena in late 1959 and was a bookkeeper for the local water company. In April 1965 Juanita accepted the position of Phillips County welfare director. Her considerable organizational and leadership skills helped her complete a long career until she retired in December 1987.
An avid lover of the outdoors and swimmer, she also sang with The Messiah Choral Group, the First Methodist Church Choir and Temple Beth El in Helena. After retirement Juanita followed her other passions, which included serving as a reporter, columnist and photographer for the Phillips County Progress newspaper, playing bridge and fulfilling a long term commitment as a Phillips County hospital volunteer.
She moved to Little Rock in July 2000 and lived at Parkway Village where she took an active interest in serving as librarian, exercising her bridge skills and volunteering for local animal shelters. She moved to Mountain Home in 2007 to be close to family and enjoy the beauty of the Ozarks. Her time in Mountain Home was filled with loving interactions with family and friends, including the wonderful staff at Elmcroft assisted living community. Juanita maintained her unique personality and independence until the end in spite of her physical limitations.
She leaves a daughter, Lisa Milam of Houston, Texas; a son, Jim (Anne) Milam of Mountain Home; a grandson J.F. Milam of Mountain Home; and two nephews, Dick (Melissa) Hatfield of Roland and Ken Hatfield of Springdale. Her parents and her sister preceded her in death.
A memorial service and celebration of Juanita’s life will be held at noon on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009 at Roller Funeral Home on Highway 5N in Mountain Home.
In honor of Juanita’s love of animals, memorials may be made to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge and Foundation (479-253-5841, http://www.turpentinecreek.org).
Arrangements are by Roller Funeral Home.
Visit our online guestbook at www.rollerfuneralhomes.com.
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Frances Juanita Wahl Milam was born April 12, 1923 in Madisonville, Tenn. to
James Frank “J.F.” Wahl and Zelpha Zola “Z” House Wahl and died peacefully on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009 in Mountain Home. She had a sister, Lillian Louisa “Billy Lou” Wahl (Hatfield). The family moved to Helena in 1924 where Juanita grew up and graduated from Helena High School in 1940. She went to Hendrix College for two years then transferred to the University of Arkansas where she received her BA in Journalism in March 1944. She enlisted in the WAC that same month and served until December 1945 with the Army Air Corps as a public relations specialist in Miami Beach, Atlantic City and Santa Ana, Calif.
In 1946 Juanita accepted a civilian position with the War Department in Seoul, Korea and served with the XXIV Corps Occupation’s Intelligence Section. It was here she met her future husband, Ford Morrison Milam, who was later an agricultural attaché in the U.S. Foreign Service. After marrying, she spent the next 12 years living in various posts such as El Salvador, India, Israel, Liberia, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She returned to Helena in late 1959 and was a bookkeeper for the local water company. In April 1965 Juanita accepted the position of Phillips County welfare director. Her considerable organizational and leadership skills helped her complete a long career until she retired in December 1987.
An avid lover of the outdoors and swimmer, she also sang with The Messiah Choral Group, the First Methodist Church Choir and Temple Beth El in Helena. After retirement Juanita followed her other passions, which included serving as a reporter, columnist and photographer for the Phillips County Progress newspaper, playing bridge and fulfilling a long term commitment as a Phillips County hospital volunteer.
She moved to Little Rock in July 2000 and lived at Parkway Village where she took an active interest in serving as librarian, exercising her bridge skills and volunteering for local animal shelters. She moved to Mountain Home in 2007 to be close to family and enjoy the beauty of the Ozarks. Her time in Mountain Home was filled with loving interactions with family and friends, including the wonderful staff at Elmcroft assisted living community. Juanita maintained her unique personality and independence until the end in spite of her physical limitations.
She leaves a daughter, Lisa Milam of Houston, Texas; a son, Jim (Anne) Milam of Mountain Home; a grandson J.F. Milam of Mountain Home; and two nephews, Dick (Melissa) Hatfield of Roland and Ken Hatfield of Springdale. Her parents and her sister preceded her in death.
A memorial service and celebration of Juanita’s life will be held at noon on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009 at Roller Funeral Home on Highway 5N in Mountain Home.
In honor of Juanita’s love of animals, memorials may be made to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge and Foundation (479-253-5841, http://www.turpentinecreek.org).
Arrangements are by Roller Funeral Home.
Visit our online guestbook at www.rollerfuneralhomes.com.
