Juanita (Grant) Lehnen

Juanita Lehnen, age 96, of Wetmore, died peacefully in her sleep at her deer camp down Highway 13 on Sunday, November 24, 2019.  She was born on October 1, 1923 in Munising to Julius and Pearl (Rowe) Grant and was raised out on Highway 13.  She married Ted Lehnen on October 22, 1941 and together they raised their family.  Juanita worked over forty years as a rural route mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service.  Most of her life, she attended the Munising Wesleyan Church and when she stayed with her daughter and son-in-law, she attended the Rapid River Congregational Church.  Juanita enjoyed gardening, canning, baking, knitting, hunting, and fishing.  She was active with the Alger County Fair.  Juanita exhibited for many years and she also served on the Fair Board.  Juanita spent many Labor Days, walking the Mackinac Bridge and was noted as being one of the oldest walkers.  She was a Farm Bureau member, served with Alger County Search and Rescue, and was a longtime volunteer for at the Munising Senior Citizens Center.  After the center closed down, Juanita enjoyed visiting the Rapid River Senior Center.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law – Barbara and Clayton Cotey of Rapid River; her son and daughter-in-law – Ted and Monica Lehnen of Reed City; five grandchildren – Julie (Bryan) Adams, Clayton (Stacy) Cotey, Steven Cotey, Christine (Greg) Rathje, and Stuart (Katie) Cotey; great-grandchildren – Tamara, Doug, Lillian, Madelyn, and Nathan; and great-great grandchildren Elizabeth and Jake.  Juanita was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Ted on March 22, 1983, and their infant son.

Services will be held at the Munising Wesleyan Church on Saturday, November 30, 2019.  Visitation will begin at 11:00 a.m. at the church and Pastor James Petersen and Pastor Bill Rafuse of the Rapid River Congregational Church will conduct Juanita’s funeral service at 12 p.m. noon.  Interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Munising.

Memorials in Juanita’s name are requested to be made to the Munising Wesleyan Church (N6310 Knox Street, Munising, MI  49862) or the Rapid River Congregational Church (P.O. Box 369, Rapid River, MI  49878.