Juanita Lou (Eaton) Werst

Juanita Lou (Eaton) Werst passed peacefully at Presbyterian Manor at the age of 91 on December 31, 2025, surrounded by family. Juanita was born March 28, 1934, in Bonner Springs, KS to Walter Jerald Eaton and Iris Irene (Terkildsen) Eaton. She graduated from Bonner Springs High School in 1952 and began her working career in the offices of Hallmark Cards in Kansas City. She met and married Paul Stanley Bushnell, Jr., in 1954 and continued to work to put her husband through the Aerospace Engineering program at the University of Kansas. Upon his graduation, she and Paul moved to California, and then to Washington D.C., where their only daughter, Cynthia Ann (Bushnell) Leary was born. As a NASA wife, Juanita was very active in fund raising, Children’s hospitals and March of Dimes were among her favorite charities. Later they moved to Las Cruces, NM, where Juanita remained active in fundraising, as well as her other hobbies of growing flowers, crafting and gourmet cooking.

After 18 years of marriage, Juanita and Paul parted ways amicably, and she moved with her daughter to Lawrence, KS to be close to her siblings. It was here that she began her career as a bookkeeper, first at Yellow Cab and then at All Star Dairy Frozen Foods. Juanita’s work ethic was well respected at All Star, and in 1985 she became the company’s first female executive, running their Frozen Food Department.

During this time, she was also very active in church activities, serving as a youth group sponsor and bible study leader. It was through church connections that she met and married the love of her life, Herbert Hiram Werst. They were married in Lawrence, KS in 1988 and moved to a small acreage outside of Lawrence. Juanita retired from All Star Dairy shortly after their marriage, choosing to apply her bookkeeping skills to her husband’s custom hardwood floor business, Countryside Floors. She was also able to continue to pursue her lifelong passions of sewing, growing flowers and vegetables, and canning. She cherished hosting their children and extended families at their home.

Juanita was preceded in death by Herb in 2017 and lived as a resident of Presbyterian Manor since that time. She is survived by her siblings Charles (Margye) Eaton, Sharon Daugherty and Karon Hornberger. Her children, Cynthia (Steven) Leary, Carolee (Clay) Meseraull, Brenda (Steven Gregory) Schneck, Audie Werst, Penny (Ed) Steele, and Darren (Carrie) Werst. Her grandchildren, Ryan, Camden, Jeff, Kimberly, Christina, Brian, Jeremy, Daniel, Lisa, Troy, Matthew, Brandon and Kaitlyn and four great-grandchildren.

The family will greet friends on Monday, January 12, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence. A graveside service will be held at Memorial Park Cemetery in Lawrence, KS, on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 1:00 PM. The family suggests memorials in Juanita’s name to St. Croix Hospice and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary 120 W. 13th St. Lawrence, KS 66044.