Juanema Isabella (McElhannon) Hitchcock

Juanema Isabella (McElhannon) Hitchcock, 95, of Belvedere Commons of Seneca, Seneca, South Carolina, went to be with her Heavenly Father and brothers and sisters in Christ at 3:24 p.m. Friday, December 27, 2024, 20 years after her sweet husband of 58 years, Jesse Franklin Hitchcock.

Nema, also known as “Sweet Blue Eyes”, was born on February 13, 1929, in El Paso, Texas, the daughter of Hugh Jacob McElhannon and Cathrine Irene Jenes. She met Frank, her future husband, in Las Cruces, New Mexico before he left for the Philippines during World War II. Upon his return, they reunited and were married on March 11, 1946, in Yuma, Arizona. Frank preceded her in death on October 15, 2004.

She was a charter member of Faith Baptist Church where she served as bookkeeper starting in 1959 for decades and later a member of First Baptist Church in Van Wert. She attended Hepsibah Baptist Church in Seneca, South Carolina where she supported many missionaries over the years and was loved and adored by her family and all who met her. She loved making everyone laugh, aquacise at the YWCA, and having breakfast with friends. She worked at Federal Mogul and the Holiday Inn in Van Wert,  and Weatherhead in Antwerp. After Frank retired, they enjoyed traveling and spending time with family, friends and old army buddies.

Family survivors include her two daughters, Darragh Jean (Jon) Geist and Laura Lee (Joe) Williams; two daughters-in-law, Beth (Paul) Hitchcock and Debra (Dwight) Hitchcock, 10 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandson.

In addition to her husband and her parents, she was preceded in death by two sons, Paul Allen Hitchcock and Dwight Eugene Hitchcock; son-in-law, Joseph Steven Williams; brothers Tommy McElhannon and John D. McElhannon, and two sisters, JoAnne Heinitz and Rhonda Kay Hillman.

Visitation is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday, January 10, followed by a service at 2 p.m. at Cowan & Son Funeral Home, Van Wert. Interment will be at Ridge Cemetery in Ridge Township.

Online condolences may be expressed on the Tribute Wall at cowanfuneralhome.com.