Juanita Perrin Burns, age 89, passed away peacefully on August 6, 2025, in her home in Virginia Beach, VA. Born on April 8, 1936, near Batesville, Arkansas, she was the eldest of three children born to Austin and Emma Perrin, and a loving sister to Mary Lee and Johnny.

Juanita’s life was marked by quiet strength, unwavering loyalty, and a deep love for family and community. After high school, she attended college for a year before beginning her career with Southern Bell as a nighttime switchboard operator. Her talent and dedication led to a promotion to telephone sales representative, a role she held for 15 years across various companies, earning numerous awards for her exceptional sales ability.

She met her future husband, John Robert Burns, Jr., in Batesville, and after a devoted four-year courtship while Robert pursued his education and military commission, they married on May 28, 1959. Two days later, Robert graduated from Memphis State and began his service in the United States Marine Corps. Together, they moved 14 times in 20 years, with Juanita lovingly transforming each new house into a warm and welcoming home.

While stationed in Okinawa, Japan, Juanita embraced the opportunity to travel across Asia, collecting cherished memories and experiences. After Robert’s retirement from the military, they settled in Virginia Beach and began a new chapter by founding Pungo Blueberries, a humble pick-your-own farm that became a beloved local fixture. Juanita was the heart of the operation—greeting customers with her signature warmth, working alongside Robert in the fields, and preparing over 100 cases of homemade jams and preserves each winter.

Juanita’s life was guided by her simple yet profound motto: “Treat others as you would like to be treated.” She was a loving, thoughtful, and cheerful soul who made friends easily and left a lasting impression on everyone she met.

She is survived by her devoted husband Robert; sons Robert “Perry” (wife Beverly) and Rodger “Rod” (wife Kymberli); grandchildren Austin, Bradley, Christopher, Kasey, and Ashley, Logan, and great-grandchildren Octavia, River, Silas, and Maverick who brought her endless joy. She also leaves behind her niece Laura, nephews Eric and Richard “Ricky,” and a wide circle of friends and neighbors who shared in the life and love she cultivated at the farm.

In every quiet moment, in every warm memory, her love endures—faithful wife, fiercely loving and supportive mother, and forever friend, she leaves behind a legacy of grace that will never fade.

Here’s a custom, quotable narrative for Juanita Perrin Burns’ memorial service that weaves together the most important lessons she learned in life:

A Life of Grace and Wisdom

In Loving Memory of Juanita Perrin Burns, a wife, mother, and friend 

“Juanita believed that life was best lived with kindness at its core. She treated others the way she wished to be treated, guided always by the quiet wisdom of the conscience God gave her. From a young age, she learned the strength in patience and the grace in self-control—lessons that shaped her into a woman of deep compassion and steady resolve. She honored her parents with gentle understanding as they aged and poured her heart into raising her sons with love, discipline, and unwavering belief in their potential. Her words may have been many, but they were never wasted—because in the end, her sons loved and respected her more than she ever dreamed. And above all, Juanita held sacred the vows she made in marriage to Robert, living each day as a testament to loyalty, partnership, and enduring love. Her life was a quiet masterpiece of faith, family, and fierce devotion.”

Please view her tribute at: https://www.forevermissed.com/juanita-perrin-burns/