Juanita Joan Bray, age 93, passed away November 11, 2026, surrounded by her family. Born to Earl and Mary Salterberg on November 13, 1932, she grew up in Packwood, Iowa and graduated from Packwood High School. She married Donald Lee Bray on July 4, 1953, and raised a family in the Iowa City, Iowa area. In 1980 they moved to the Bray family homestead in Veo, Iowa. Community service remained integral to Juanita and Don's very active life. After Don's death, Juanita lived at New Perspectives in Prior Lake, Minnesota and later, with her daughter Elaine. She passed away at the Kansas City Hospice House after a short illness.
Juanita is known for her lifelong dedication and service to 4H, including club leadership and competition judging at the county and state levels. Her focus was always on helping young people learn life skills and pursue creative interests. She loved needlework and completed artisan projects for family and friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Don, and her siblings, Millie Dickinson Brenneman and Roger Salterberg. She is survived by her five children, Elaine Johnston, Phyllis Strub (Mike), Keith Bray (Julie), Rita Berg (Greg), and Karen Cessna (Jim); eight grandchildren, Darren Johnston (Staci), Ashley Muehlbauer (Jeremy), Ryan Cessna (Megan), Jaclyn Miller (Justin), Tyler Strub, Kyle Cessna (Alyssa), Erin Bennett, and Tim Berg; and thirteen great-grandchildren, Abbie, Benson, Emerson, Arlo, Thadeus, Kate, Peter, Joel, Ewan, Crew, Wrendalyn, Annalise, and Ellis.
There will be a memorial service at 10:00 am on Saturday, November 14, 2026 at New City Church, 8711 Wornall Road, Kansas City, Missouri. A private family burial will be held at a later date at Howard Grove Cemetery, Richland, Iowa, where she will rest next to her husband of 56 years.
