Juanita Stephens Cate, a cherished mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on February 7, 2025.
Juanita was born, on March 1, 1937, in Tullahoma, Tennessee.
She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Sally Stephens, and her husband, William Crawford Cate, Jr.
She is survived by her daughters: Shannon Cate Vick, Dana Cate Kelly (Dee) and Molly Moore Cate, as well as her four grandchildren: William Vick (Dani), Cate Kelly McLaughlin (Stuart), Lynn Kelly and Camille Kelly Garcia (Elias), and three great-grandchildren: Lilian Vick, William Carter Vick and Eliana Vick. She is also survived by her step-daughter, Britton Davis Watson and her children, Win Watson, Austin Hall Watson and Lottie Watson.
Juanita attended Tullahoma High School and later graduated from the University of Tennessee. While at the University, Juanita met her husband, and the father of her children, Bill Cate, who was a member of the Tennessee Volunteer basketball team. She later received her Master’s in English from Vanderbilt University. As an Associate Professor of English at Columbia State Community College, she served as chair of the Lyceum and continuing education. Pursuing her life-long passion for reading, she reviewed books for the Nashville Tennessean and served on The Speakers Bureau for the Tennessee Humanities Council. In Juanita’s later life, she found a deep interest in genealogy, specifically tracing the history of her family and writing beautiful manuscripts about them. She was a lifetime member of the James K. Polk Memorial Association and was an active member of the James Robertson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, serving as vice regent and secretary.
Juanita loved to escape to the Cumberland Plateau of Monteagle, Tennessee, where she made many life-long friends at the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly. There she served as a board member of the Women’s Club and chairperson for the Women’s Literary Guild. Most of all, vacationing with her family at Monteagle during the summer months brought her great joy.
Toward the end of her life, Juanita continued to be a faithful and cherished friend to many. She loved being with the women of the Centennial Club, the Literary Guild, the Regency Book Club, and the Belmont Garden Club. She was also a member of Christ Church Cathedral of Nashville, where she enjoyed serving as a cathedral guide and greeting the families of the congregation.
Her family will miss her greatly. She was always there for her three daughters and four grandchildren, who affectionately knew her as Nita. Life will not be the same without her warm smile and generous spirit.
A memorial service will be held at Christ Church Cathedral on February 11, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. The family will receive visitors in the Gathering Hall at the Church afterward. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/nashville-tn
A private burial service will follow at Harpeth Hills Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, please send any charitable contributions to the Stewart Home School in Frankfort, Kentucky, the Lupus Foundation, the American Cancer Society, or any charity of your choice.
For more obituaries visit https://davidsoncountysource.com/obituaries/
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