Graveside service for Junie Faye Forehand set

Graveside service for Junie Faye Forehand

Graveside service for Junie Faye Forehand, 81, of Canadian, is 1 p.m. Friday at Heavener Memorial Park with Brother Larry Free officiating. Burial will follow in Heavener Memorial Park, under the direction of Dowden-Roberts Funeral Home of Heavener.

She passed away Monday in McAlester, surrounded by her loving family when she passed on to heaven.

Bio

An avid reader, Junie collected over hundreds of romance, science fiction, and mystery novels. Junie also had a passion for creative writing and was a member of a writers group in McAlester. Frank D. McSherry, Jr. encouraged Junie to submit a chapter of her novel to Tulsa Writers’ Guild which she was honored with second place in the late sixties. She worked in her home for several years as a seamstress and tailor. Junie also worked for the McAlester Girls Club as an assistant director alongside the director Nina Anthony when the Girls Club first opened. She was also a basketball coach and loved teaching the sport. One of her proudest accomplishments was fighting for girls rights to play basketball in McAlester Public Schools. She was so excited to hear the Lady Buffs won their first basketball 5A state championship.

During her retired years, she enjoyed the outdoors, fishing with her best friend, Linda Coggins, of McAlester. She also had an artistic talent where she enjoyed cross-stitching and making quilts for her grandchildren. Junie made a quilt for her nephew Bobby Johnson, who died of AIDS, which was added to the AIDS Memorial Quilt.

Dates

Junie was born May 26, 1941 to Oda (Phillips) and Thomas Samuel Reece, in Monroe.

Survivors

Surviving family members are her husband Audrey O. Forehand of 66 years; daughters Tina Burgess and Debra Scarborough of Tulsa; son, Stewart Forehand, of McAlester; five grandchildren Steven Staples, Billy Ben Staples, Jimmy Lee Forehand, Audra Petee, and Morgan Reese; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Preceded by

She was preceded in death by parents Oda and Thomas Samuel Reece; six brothers Buster, Red, Olan, Holbert, James and Troy; and four sisters Mamie Heavener, Pauline Odom, Wilma Wilkerson and Aline Vance.

Pallbearers

Pallbearers are Steven Staples, Billy Staples, Jimmy Forehand, Evan Staples, Dylan Staples and Rusty Bivins.

Viewing

Viewing is from 9 a.m. until noon Friday at the funeral home.

Sign guestbook

To sign Junie’s online guestbook please visit www.dowdenrobertsfuneralhome.com.