JUANITA TOOTLE ALEXANDER

March 28, 1925 – March 8, 2024

Bakersfield – Juanita Tootle Alexander was born in Sallisaw, Oklahoma, to Charley and Fanny Tootle, the sixth of nine children. She “went home” March 8, 2024, just shy of her 99th birthday.

Always proud of her Cherokee heritage, Juanita grew up in Oklahoma before moving to Arvin, California, as a young woman. There she met her husband, Victor Alexander, a handsome fireman, to whom she was a devoted wife for 51 years before his passing. Together they raised two talented children, John and Cheryl. Juanita was a dedicated and supportive mother who attended games and concerts, served as a Scout leader and room mother, and stressed the importance of education.

Juanita enjoyed many activities. She was an AVID reader. She was an accomplished quilter and seamstress, as well as being talented at embroidery and crochet. African violets were her specialty, but she could grow anything. She was an athlete who was a league bowler for years before taking up golf in her 50s. As a member of the Kern River Women's Golf Club, she competed in many So-Cal tournaments, winning the Kern County Women's Senior Amateur multiple times. She cherished Oklahoma vacations to visit family and particularly enjoyed casino-hopping with her sisters Pat and Sadie.

Juanita is survived by her children John and Cheryl Alexander; daughter-in-law Kay; granddaughters Victoria Trichell (John), Elizabeth Bell (Gavin), and Kathryn Karlen; great grandchildren Elyse, Koen, Ian, John, Drake, and Joey; and one sister, Sadie, of Tulsa, Oklahoma. She dearly missed her family who had gone before her, including much-loved great-grandson Declan.

Throughout her life Juanita had been blessed to have a close relationship with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was always surrounded by love and laughter. She will be greatly missed.

A graveside service will be held on March 21, 2024 at 2:00 PM at Hillcrest Memorial Park.

If you wish to make a memorial charitable contribution, please consider SCN8A Alliance, 1234 Crittendon Street NW, Washington DC, 20011.