The publication is reproduced in full below:
IN RECOGNITION OF THE LIFE OF JUANITA VARNADO PIERCE
______
HON. MIKE ROGERS
of alabama
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Madam Speaker, I ask for the House's attention to recognize the life of Juanita Varnado Pierce. She passed on February 7, 2021 at the age 83.
Juanita (affectionately called Neat) was born to the late Howard and Maggie Lee Varnado and grew up in McComb, Mississippi. Her early education was at Pike County High School in McComb. She graduated high school at 15 and attended Henderson Business College in Memphis, Tennessee. She graduated from Tuskegee Institute, now Tuskegee University, in 1974 with a B.S. in Early Childhood Education and from Auburn University with a Master's in Early Childhood Education in 1975.
She started teaching 2nd grade at Dean Road Elementary School in Auburn, Alabama, in August of 1975 and taught 2nd grade for 17 years. After completing her Administration Certification from the University of Alabama, she was hired as the Assistant Principal at Dean Road Elementary in the Fall of 1992 and became Principal in Fall of 1996. She retired in the Fall of 1998. As a retired educator, she volunteered throughout Tuskegee in the local school system reading to young children. To ensure all children had access to books, she founded the Bookmobile which was a remade bread truck she purchased and drove it throughout Macon County giving free books to children. Continuing in her passion of educating and reading, Juanita established the S.M.A.R.T. (Science, Math, Art, Reading and Technology) Camp in 2005. Funded by grants and donations, this free two-week camp was started at Washington Chapel A.M.E. Church with approximately 40 students and today is held at George Washington Carver Elementary School due to the large size of participants.
Juanita was a devoted member of Washington Chapel A.M.E. Church. After joining in 1960, she started teaching the pre-school Sunday School class and remained the teacher for nearly 50 years. She served in the Cathedral and Gospel Choirs, the Stewardess Board and Steward Board.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 44 years, Booker T. Pierce, Sr.; her sisters Patricia Varnado and Artis Varnado; and a brother, Charles Varnado. Remaining to continue her legacy are her three children, Booker T. Pierce, Jr. (Nashville, TN); Vincent B. Pierce (St. Louis, MO) and Lisa (Bernard) P. Grant (Alexandria, VA); two grandchildren, Nicholas Bernard Grant (Newport News, VA) and Dominque Pierce (Pompano Beach, FL); her sister Lottie (Harrison) Varnado-Williams (Diamondhead, MS) and one brother Howard Varnado, Jr.
(Milpitas, CA); two brothers-in-law, Fletcher (Sylvia) Pierce
(McCormick, SC) and James Pierce (Montgomery, AL), two sisters-in-law, Cebell Miller (Griffin, GA) and Roxanne Pierce (Bessemer, AL); and a host of devoted cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Juanita's memory. She was a humble servant who gave willingly and unconditionally to everyone she encountered. She will be missed by her family, friends and the Tuskegee Community.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 34
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