Juanita Louise Coleman

 October 16, 1952 – August 2, 2026

Juanita Louise Coleman, 73, passed away peacefully on August 2, 2026.

Born on October 16, 1952, in Jefferson City, Missouri, to Betty Jean Barnes Cain and Willard Lloyd Cain, Juanita faced challenges from the very beginning. After contracting spinal meningitis as a baby, she lost her hearing. But she never let deafness define her. She was a fighter her entire life, proving that determination, courage, and heart could overcome any obstacle.

Juanita graduated from the Kansas School for the Deaf in Olathe, Kansas, where she built the foundation for her independent life. She worked for Hallmark for many years before finding her true calling as an advocate at the Topeka Independent Living Resource Center, where she fought tirelessly for the rights of people with disabilities alongside her dear friend, Alene. Her advocacy even took her to Washington, D.C., where she joined others in the fight for disability rights. She believed every person deserved to be heard, respected, and given the opportunity to live independently.

While Juanita loved helping others, those closest to her knew she also had an adventurous spirit and a lifelong love of learning. She never met a lipstick she didn't like and rarely left the house without her makeup on. Whether she was browsing a department store or the grocery aisles, you could usually find her reading labels, discovering something new, or making a new friend. She also became an expert at reading lips. Since so few people knew sign language, she made sure she always knew what was going on anyway.

If The Beatles were playing, there was a good chance Juanita and her brother, Larry, were dancing. It's a memory her family will always treasure.

She also had a gift for finding the perfect Christmas present—the kind that left you smiling and wondering, "How in the world did she know I needed one of these?"

She treasured her family and friends. She shared a lifelong friendship with Sherri, whom she had known since childhood, and cherished her dear friends Lorrie and Katia. Their friendship was a source of laughter, support, and joy throughout her life.

One of Juanita's favorite stories was how she met the love of her life, Steve. They met in a bar, and because Steve didn't know sign language, they spent the evening getting to know each other by writing on napkins. That simple conversation became a beautiful love story, and they shared 25 wonderful years of marriage. They found each other at exactly the right time, proving that love always finds a way.

Juanita leaves behind her loving husband of 25 years, Steve Coleman; her brother, Larry Cain; her sister, Jackie Cain; her brothers-in-law, David Coleman and Larry Coleman; her sister-in-law, Sherri Bower; and many beloved nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Betty Jean Barnes Cain and Willard Lloyd Cain.

Juanita's life was a testament to resilience. She was fiercely independent, outspoken, compassionate, and completely fearless. She stood up for herself just as fiercely as she stood up for others and lived with purpose and loved with her whole heart. Steve often said that Juanita lived her life the same way she drove her car—never looking in the rearview mirror, always looking forward.

Though her hands are now still, she will be remembered not only for the battles she fought, but for the countless people she inspired simply by living life on her own terms.

A warrior for life, for family, for friendship, and for love—Juanita's extraordinary spirit will never be forgotten.