BY HANNAH BEASLEY FOR THE OBSERVER
EAST ALABAMA — This past December loved ones gathered to celebrate Mrs. Juanita Patrick’s 100th birthday. An Opelika resident for more than 70 years, Patrick was born in Goodwater, Alabama, in Coosa County in 1924 and moved to Lanett at an early age.
“Lanett is where I grew up,” she said.
In her youth, Patrick was known for her athletic abilities and was a basketball star at Lanett High School.
“Shooting [the ball] was my favorite,” she said.
When asked what team she roots for now, Patrick said, “I don’t have a favorite, I cheer for them all.”
After high school, she attended Alabama State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education, then she received her master’s degree from Georgia State University. Patrick married Oscar Johnson, and they had one child, William Johnson. She has two grandchildren, Sheldon Johnson, who lives in Los Angeles, and Seneka Johnson, who lives in New York. She also has eight great-grandchildren.
She taught fourth grade math for nearly 45 years in schools all throughout Lee County. When she retired, she became a school counselor at Wacoochee Elementary School.
“She has always had a passion for making an impact on the lives of her students,” said her live-in caregiver, Mable Jones. “She still remembers most of them to this day. She has a good memory when it comes to faces.”
Patrick was one of the first teachers in the first Head Start pilot program in Lee County in 1965, at what is now known as East Samford School.
“Mrs. Patrick was my Head Start teacher and my fourth-grade math teacher,” said Jones. “I was fortunate to have her twice.”
Having lived in Alabama her entire life, Patrick has been involved in countless community programs.
“I have gotten to experience a lot of things,” Patrick said.
“She has left a great impact on many people and has done a lot of civic work throughout her life,” Jones said. “She has participated in many things and has led a very meaningful life.”
Patrick has been a member of the Association of Colored Women and Youth Groups, was a poll worker in the city of Opelika for 15 years, was an active member of the Alabama Democratic Party and volunteered as a Pink Lady at East Alabama Medical Center for more than 20 years, just to name a few of her many contributions to the community. She is currently a member of Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church in Opelika but previously was a long-time active member at Mount Olive Church in Dadeville.
When asked about her secret to longevity, she offered this insight: “My faith in God and eating well — eating healthy and eating three meals a day.”
