Memorial

Juanita Mae Furnish, 86, cherished wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend, left her loving family unexpectedly and heaven gained an angel on Thursday, August 14, 2025. Memorial service will be held at 3:00 PM on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at the Cedar Memorial Chapel of Memories.  Visitation will be held prior to the service, beginning at 1:00 PM, at the chapel. 

Juanita was born to Chris and Libbie (Lopata) Studt on February 7, 1939, in Iowa City and the younger sister to Betty (Studt) Krezek. Juanita was an active, athletic, fun-loving, adventurous and witty young lady who preferred jeans and a T-shirt to a fancy outfit and dress shoes — when made to wear a dress at social gatherings during her early years she would announce to everyone "look at me now because I'm changing into jeans in one minute" and would promptly do so. 

She enjoyed all sports and participated in many through the years. Juanita always attended her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren's sporting and arts events and was their biggest fan. She loved to watch Steelers, Hawkeye and Cyclone football, Hawkeye and Cyclone Women's and Men's basketball, Indiana Fever basketball and was an avid Caitlin Clark fan. She was a member of the last graduating class of Cedar Rapids Wilson High School, in 1957.  She enjoyed spending time with her Wilson High friends where one night at a social event she met the love of her life — Thomas Furnish Jr.  Juanita and Tom dated through high school, were married on April 23, 1960, and began a wonderful life where they found themselves working together at Lefebure Corporation and then started and running a business, The Sled Shed, side-by-side, for 24 years. Juanita wasn't ready to retire so she joined Hy-Vee Johnson Avenue Pharmacy and Floral departments and for 17 years delivered flowers and medications to many people who looked forward to her smile and conversation. 

Her and Tom hosted numerous events, holidays and parties with family and friends at their home or at Juanita's "happy place" - their beloved boathouse at Ellis Harbor.   She was happiest at the boathouse or on their boat cruising the Cedar River. She cherished the friends she made during their 40+ years at the Harbor. Juanita deeply loved her family, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends — the door to their home was always open, her eyes lit up when she saw you and you were always greeted with a big hug and warm welcome. Friends quickly became family to Juanita.

She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Tom; her children:  Carrie (Mike) Canning and Craig (Beth) Furnish; her grandchildren:  Michael Foley, Ashley (Rob) Deason, Jennica (Danny) Zwick, Megan (Nate) Angus, Mason Furnish (significant other Kellie Sacksteder), Allison (Doug Haag) Canning, and Kristin Canning (significant other Galen Gatzke); her great-grandchildren:  Sophia and Evelyn Deason, Cullen and Keagan Zwick and Dottie Haag; her sister, Betty (Donard) Krezek; nephew, James (Patty) Krezek; beloved Yorkie, Stella and many extended family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her mother and father and beloved Yorkies:  Muffy and Katie.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Hall-Perrine Cancer Center: https://www.mercycare.org/giving/cancercare/  or the Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center: https://www.communitycancercenter.org/donate/