Juanita Jean Gunter

Juanita Jean Gunter, age 90, of Hope, Arkansas, went to be with Jesus on Thursday, May
25, 2023, in Hope. She was born on March 9, 1933, in Washington, Arkansas to Cliff and
Opal Billings. Opal died two weeks after her birth, so Juanita was raised by Viola Hulsey,
Opal’s mother.

Mrs. Gunter spent her working days at Becherer’s Jewelry Store and Family Pharmacy
where she made a positive and unforgettable impact on everyone she worked with,
especially young people. In her free time, she enjoyed reading, cooking, singing, and
homemaking, but her first love was her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She served as a
lay leader at First Baptist Church, Hope for many years and in several capacities
including teaching and serving others selflessly. She loved reading the Bible and
completely read through it yearly several times throughout her life. Her next love was
her husband, Bill – they were married in 1953 and would have celebrated their 70th
anniversary together in August of this year. Their marriage was a model of Christian
love and sacrifice for each other. They were inseparable in all things and in every way.
Their love story is an example for all of us to emulate in our relationships with each other.
Bill and Juanita raised two children together and consistently modeled Jesus Christ in
every step of the way in their upbringing. The same has been true for their grandchildren
and great grandchildren. They loved all of them unconditionally and sacrificially. She
was a wonderful and loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-greatgrandmother, aunt, and friend.

Mrs. Gunter was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers and sisters, Dalton
Hulsey, Thurston Hulsey, and Mahdeen Urrey, and her half-brother David Billings
(Paula).

Left to cherish her memory is her loving husband, Bill of Hope, her son, Tim Gunter
(Lamona) of Maumelle, her daughter, Pam Bradshaw (Steve) of Hope, her grandchildren
Crystal Anderson (Joey) of Springhill, Joey Wren (Kristin) of Huntsville, Texas, and Billy
Wren of Hot Springs, her grandchildren Drake Anderson (Allie), Layne Anderson, and
Kaleb Anderson, her great-grandchildren Taggert and Everly Anderson (Drake and
Allie), half-brother Charles Billings (Karen) of Liberty, Missouri, half-sister Nancy
Billings (Larry) of West Monroe, Louisiana, and half-brother Rodney Billings (Robin) of
Rockwall, Texas, and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

The family would like to offer a special thanks to the following for their outstanding care
of and love for Juanita: Dr. Dale Goins of Hope, Enhabit Home Health and Hospice
(Gretta and Starr), Heather Manor Nursing Home (Patricia, Chris, and all of the nurses
and CNA’s), and the Gentiva Hospice Group.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, May 28, 2023, at the Herndon Fuqua Funeral Home at
2:00 pm. Her funeral service will follow at 3:00 pm with Bro. Daniel Bramlett and Bro.
Drake Anderson officiating. Interment will be in Memory Gardens in Hope, under the
direction of Herndon Fuqua Funeral Home.