Juanita Tripp

Juanita (Colwell) Tripp, 73, of Elkhart, passed away peacefully at her residence with her loving family by her side on Saturday, May 9, 2020. Juanita was born on September 22, 1946 in Manchester, TN to the late Gussie and Delma Nadine (Rackley) Colwell.

She is survived by her children, Elzy (Christie) Sweeten and Telenna (Bill) Cofield; sisters, Mary Spry and Louise (Wayne) Simmons; seven grandchildren; five great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Juanita is preceded in death by her parents; husband, William E. Tripp; daughters, Teresa Sweeten and Brenda Geairn; brothers, Billy W., Edgar L., George A., Kenneth, James, and Jesse Colwell; sisters, Ruby Bailey, Josephine Vanatta, Helen Hillis, and Jean Simmons.  

Visitation will be on Sunday, May 17, 2020 from noon to 2:00 p.m. (with proper social distancing procedures to be followed, please bring a face mask) at Billings Funeral Home, 812 Baldwin St., Elkhart. A family service will be held at 1:00 p.m. with an hour of visitation prior at the funeral home on Monday, May 18, 2020 with Pastor Plez Lovelady of Southside Baptist Church of Elkhart officiating. Burial will immediately follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Osceola. Memorial donations may go to Southside Baptist Church, 29064 County Road 16, Elkhart, IN.

Juanita was a fun, feisty, and fiercely independent woman who knew how to have fun and have a good time. Those who knew her would say they could never forget her contagious smile or her infectious laughter. She worked for Mobile Craft in Elkhart for over 20 years. Juanita loved shopping and always knew where the best deals were at garage sales. However, her grandchildren and great grandchildren were the apple of her eye. The family would like to say a special thank you to her grandchildren, Eric Cassity II and Elzy J. Sweeten Jr. for staying by their grandmother’s side till the very end.  

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