Ms. Juanita Pelt

Celebrating The Life Of Dr. Juanita Pelt: Juanita Pelt was born on January 31, 1966 in Clarksdale, Mississippi to Reverend Peter James Pelt, Sr. and Evelyn Williams Pelt, both who preceded her in death. She was the youngest of ten siblings. Juanita confessed her faith in Christ at an early age and was baptized at Thompson Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, Powell, Mississippi where she was a very active member. Juanita later moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan and united with the New Testament Missionary Baptist Church in Ypsilanti where she served with the Missionary Ministry. Upon moving to Columbia, South Carolina, she united with Zion Baptist Church where she served as a Trustee, member of the We Care Ministry, Christian Education Ministry, Women’s Day Committee, and the Girl Scouts Program. She attended Coahoma Agricultural High School and Coahoma Junior College, in Clarksdale, Mississippi. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Alcorn State University, Lorman, Mississippi; a Master of Science degree in Biology from Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi; a Master of Arts degree in Educational Psychology and Evaluation from Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan; and a Ph.D. degree in Educational Psychology and Research from the University of South Carolina, Columbia. Juanita completed internships at Jackson State University and the University of South Carolina. At the University of South Carolina, she was a Graduate Research Assistant in the Office of Program Evaluation, and an Instructor for an undergraduate class in the College of Education. She also worked as a Research Associate in the Reproductive Sciences Program/Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor for 11 years. After graduating from the University of South Carolina, Juanita worked as an Evaluator for 6 plus years at The Evaluation Group in Columbia. She was very concerned about the well-being of our children and youth, and she always stressed the importance of education. She enjoyed evaluating educational programs to help improve the educational outcomes of our children. Juanita loved God and trusted in Him with all her heart. She attended her church’s weekly bible study, and also initiated a weekly family bible study that was held via conference calls. She enjoyed this time to study God’s word with her family. She really loved spending time with her family, church family, and friends. She was a very committed, kind, and caring person that you could always count on. She always supported others in their endeavors, provided a listening ear, and was a very generous person. Her interests included traveling, reading, taking photos, gardening, fishing, attending the theatre, watching sports, and genealogy research. She was a member of several organizations including: American Evaluation Association, American Education Research Association, Association for Science Teacher Education, and Women’s Informal Network (WIN). She was also the Community Service Director and Consultant for WIN’s mentoring program for girls. She co-authored several educational publications and presented at a number of educational conferences. Juanita had a gentle and quiet spirit and a wonderful smile. She always remained positive and faithful during her illness. On Friday, March 25, 2017, she made her transition while at the Midwest Regional Medical Center in Zion, Illinois.

Ms. Juanita Pelt

January 31, 1966 - March 25, 2017