Juanita Schwyhart

Considering her start in life, Juanita Schwyhart, born Juanita Josephine McDonald, has done well for herself. Juanita was born in Fort Worth Texas to her mother, Clytie Katharyn Helmstettler at age 17, who divorced before Juanita started school.

In high school Juanita focused on academics and graduated 3rd in a class of 100.

Although her attempt at cheerleading was unsuccessful, she landed the starring role as Olive Oyl in the school's theatrical production of Popeye, where she had to learn and sing the song "Juanita" in Spanish.

Following graduation, Juanita moved to Oakland, California where she secured employment [as an 18-year-old girl] walking door-to-door making appointments for insurance salesmen. Juanita later rode the bus from California to Maryland to rejoin her mother and stepfather; the first of many cross-country trips to come.

Juanita's stepfather transferred to Fort Lewis Army Base in Washington, where Juanita began her first year of college at Washington State University. During her second year at Washington State, her friend and fellow Resident Advisor Pat was supposed to introduce her to a possible suitor, but kept forgetting to arrange the introduction. This suitor took it upon himself to call Juanita without an introduction and ask her for a Coke date. Juanita thought that was "different" but piqued her curiosity and accepted.

Upon completion of her second year at Washington State, Juanita followed her stepfather's transfer back to Oakland, California, where he bought a house in Berkley.

Juanita started her third year of college at the University of California part time while living with her parents. After the first semester Juanita stopped attending college and began working full-time as a civil servant at the San Pedro Naval Depot. She needed to earn money for a wedding dress.

It was Juanita's intent to finish college but, the suitor who called for the coke date, Keith Schwyhart, had just completed his master's degree and asked her to marry him. That summer Keith bought a used car and drove to Berkley for a brief visit with two of Juanita's school friends from Washington State.

The following Christmas, Keith invited Juanita to Twisp Washington where he worked as a teacher and principal for Twisp High School. In the middle of winter Juanita rode the bus from Berkley to Twisp to visit Keith, who rented a room in a house heated with only a central wood stove. The bathroom was only accessible via the back porch, but most importantly, the house had a guest room. During this brief visit Keith proposed to Juanita with a diamond ring he had acquired while stationed in Germany during World War II. Juanita accepted with the understanding that she would finish college at some point. Juanita did what was customary for women of her day-- sacrifice her life plan to support her husband.

On Sunday June 11, 1950, Juanita married Keith at the First Congregational Church Chapel in Berkley. After the wedding Juanita and her husband drove to Dayton, Ohio to meet Keith's parents and family. Days later they drove back to Washington where they spent their honeymoon and summer at 6000 feet elevation, working as forest fire spotters. Living quarters were a small elevated single room with no plumbing. Water was drawn from a stream a quarter mile away. The real excitement began when the storms rolled in. At which time they put their feet in ceramic bowls to avoid electrocution by lightning strike, which was often. So often in fact, the structure's guy wires and grounding rods would glow white from repeated strikes. In one short month, Juanita's life changed from working as a secretary for an attorney in Berkley California, to fetching water and preparing live game for meals cooked over a wood stove while living in a tree house on the wild frontier.

At summer's end they moved back to Twisp and the room Keith had rented. There he resumed work as a high school teacher and principal. The following spring their first child, Vera Kathryn was born, followed by their second, Paul Keith, a year later. They moved twice more in the coming years with the addition of their third child, Mark Baker, and their fourth child, Debra Faye.

The next move landed them in Rhodesia, Africa, in the summer of 1958. Juanita packed her four children en route to Africa while pregnant with her fifth. While being processed in New York City, medical exams found Paul with a hernia which was corrected with onsite surgery. They also began taking Quinine. Once signed, sealed, and ready for delivery, they sailed to London England which found Juanita seasick the whole way. They arrived in Mount Salinda, Rhodesia, via Khartoum Sudan.

The newly completed clay brick house included indoor plumbing, a wood-burning cooking stove, clay floors, and electricity between 6-10 pm, just in time for the arrival of their fifth child; Phyllis Jean. Juanita home-schooled local mission children while constantly concerned with poisonous snakes, clean water, and fresh milk. Contracting a tropical disease such as Tuberculosis, Malaria, Hookworm, or Bilharzia was always a concern. After two years Juanita became pregnant with her sixth (and last) child, Philip Dean. During this time civil unrest began escalating in the townships, as natives were restless for independence. 18 months later Juanita and her husband moved their family of eight back to the States.

Juanita toted six young children through Rome, Italy; Athens, Greece; Hanover, Germany; London, England; and New York City, then settled in Tucson, Arizona where Keith entered a doctoral program at the University of Arizona. Juanita worked at the preschool in lieu of tuition for her two youngest children, Phyllis and Phlip.

Five years later, with Keith's diploma in hand, they moved to Richmond, Indiana where Keith would teach at his alma mater; Earlham College. On July 4th en route to Indiana, Keith took the kids on a hike in Cheney Washington where he suffered a heart attack but thankfully survived without complications. Juanita then learned her brother Charles had been killed in a car crash. And if that weren't enough, the new owners of their house in Tucson had assumed occupancy without paying. Juanita telephoned their attorney in Arizona and flew to California for the funeral of her only sibling. Fortunately, Juanita's six young children were able to stay with a friendly family.

Upon arrival in Indiana, Philip started first grade and Juanita returned to college and completed her bachelor's degree, graduating summa cum laude, two years before her oldest child. Juanita then began teaching and continued until retirement in 1998.

During this time she earned her master's degree while attending summer school at Washington State University. She also taught computer courses for Seattle Pacific University, Portland State University, Central Washington University, the Vancouver Educational Service District, and her own Evergreen School District. She now volunteers to help grade school children read, enjoys playing bridge, exercising, round dancing, and attending her grandchildren's sporting events. She has conceded her days of tent camping and white water rafting are behind her, although she still enjoys international travel and spending time with family, whom she says are all wonderful.

Written by: Philip Schwyhart, June 5, 2011

Locate on Walk:

• Stage Wall (Left Wall), 1-6