Lela Juanita Kinsland

On November 2, 2015 Juanita Kinsland, a long time resident of LaSalle, Michigan passed away at home after a brief illness. Mrs. Kinsland was preceded in death by her husband, Ney R. Kinsland, and her parents, Catherine Smith Gibson and the Reverend Elder (Hoot) Gibson (Asheville, North Carolina), a sister, Geneva Hollifield and brother-in-law, Marvin Hollifield (North Carolina). Mrs. Kinsland is survived by three children, Stephen Dale (Ronda) Kinsland of Monroe, Michigan, Edward Ney (Jolene) Kinsland of Wasilla, Alaska, and Kathy Renee Kinsland of Monroe and eight grandchildren, Julie, Stephen, Jennifer, Mark (Kinsland), Cassie, Jessie (Kinsland), and Jillian, and Jake (Carps) and nine great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Lois Jane Moore (Robert) of Oregon, and Georgia Ann Carter (Ed) of Tennessee, and brothers Louie Elder (Glenda) of Missouri, Ronald Gibson (Gwynn) of Tennessee and Claude Gibson (Nancy) of North Carolina. Juanita was born in Asheville North Carolina in 1933. She attended Lee Edwards High School in Asheville and after high school worked as a bookkeeper for Silver Fleet Trucking and Blue Ridge Trucking. She moved to Long Beach, California and worked as a bookkeeper but returned to North Carolina when she married Ney Kinsland in 1955 after he returned from the Korean War. Both Juanita and Ney worked for Jefferson Schools for over 30 years. Juanita worked as a bookkeeper, secretary (Middle School), and was in charge the lunch program for all of Jefferson Schools. She was also an active member of the Jefferson Faculty Wives for many years. Mrs. Kinsland retired in 1995, three years following her husband's passing. Mrs. Kinsland took many trips throughout the United State and Alaska with her family. She also enjoyed gardening and spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Rupp Funeral Home, 2345 South Custer Rd., Monroe, MI 48161, where services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday. Rev. Larry Detruf will officiate. Burial will take place at Pisgah View Memorial Park in Candler, NC, on Monday, November 9, 2015, at 1:00 p.m.