Juanita Harris Hunt

The Panola Watchman

Wednesday, May 6, 1998

submitted by Gloria B. Mayfield, Panola Co. Coordinator

The Panola County Courthouse flag has flown at half-mast since Monday in honor of the county’s only woman sheriff and long-time county treasurer, Juanita Hunt who passed away Sunday.

Hunt, a native and lifetime resident of Panola County, was instrumental in helping her husband, Glenn, get elected as Panola County Sheriff. According to her children, she campaigned tirelessly, making door-to-door contacts in his behalf and her familiarity with everyone made her a strong political ally to her husband.

Hunt was appointed by the county commissioners to fill the office of Sheriff for the remaining months of her husband’s term following his death in 1956. She later served as Panola County Treasurer for more than 20 years.

Billy Grimes who worked side-by-side with Hunt, was the County Auditor during hunt’s time as Treasurer. Not only did Hunt keep her records straight but, according to Grimes, working with her was also a pleasant experience. "She was a wonderful lady. She was very cooperative and nice to work with," Grimes concluded.

Hunt’s children, Glenn Hunt, Maurine Briggs and Pat Roussel, remember their mother’s strength. Recalling her time as sheriff, they noted that she never wore a gun and people still respected her.

Roussel recalled that her mother’s cooking went over well with family and friends and also with inmates at the jail.

"Mom always made biscuits for dad so she would also cook them for the inmates. When dad was in the hospital, mom’s sister cooked toast for the inmates and they wanted to know when mom was coming back," Roussel said.

A descendant of county pioneers Hunt was born in 1910 to Beckville Residents Jessie and Maude Shivers Harris. Her love for the area kept her close to home with very few travels outside of Panola County.

Her children remember her as a discreetly generous person who gave and did much more for others than she took.

Hunt often expressed pride in having served the county in an official capacity. Her children added that she was also grateful to have the job at a time when she needed it.

Among the loves of Hunt’s life during her later years were spending time with her grandchildren, activities at First Methodist Church where she was a long-time member and work in her garden where she nurtured beautiful flowers. Her children pointed out that she tended her garden Saturday, the day before her death.

During her husband’s term as Sheriff, Hunt witnessed the jail’s relocation from its original location to its new home.

After serving the remainder of her husband’s term as Sheriff, Hunt chose not to run for the office again, but county residents led a write-in campaign on her behalf and she won a healthy percentage of the write-in votes.

Family members have suggested that memorials honoring Hunt be made to the First United Methodist Church Building Fund ot to the charity of the donor’s choice.

Funeral services for Edith Juanita Hunt, 87, of Carthage, will be held at 2 pm today, May 6, 1998, at the First United Methodist Church in Carthage. The Revs. E.B. Beasley and Jack Harris will officiate and burial will follow in the Martin Cemetery under the direction of Jimerson Funeral Home. She died Sunday at ETMC-Carthage.

Born July 27, 1910 in Beckville, she was the daughter of Jessie Will Harris and Maude Pearl Shivers Harris.

Hunt was preceded in death b her husband Glenn A. Hunt who died on Sept 13, 1956.

Survivors include her daughters Pat Roussel of Little Rock and Maurine Briggs of Houston; son and daughter in law Glenn T. and Teke Hunt of Odessa; brother Billy Hugh Harris of Beckville; sisters Jessie Helen Jackson and Garl Dee Allums both of Carthage; 11 grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren and a number of neices and nephews.

Pallbearers were Larry Allums, Robert Barton, Dennis Ramsey, Kenneth Ramsey, Lane Harris and Don Harris.