Our beloved Mother, Juanita (Nita) Ione Jones Neff, passed away unexpectedly Friday evening, August 27, 2021.

Mom was born in Fargo, ND, September 20, 1930, the youngest of six children born to Vincent Lewis Jones and Florine Pennington Jones.

She grew up on a farm near Wyndmere, ND, during the Depression, free to read and roam, but also responsible, as were all the children, for preparing meals, milking cows, gathering eggs and caring for the animals. Mom hand-raised many an orphaned lamb but could also get a chicken from yard to table in time to feed any unexpected guests. Her father modeled the hospitality Mom was gifted with for the rest of her life. Many a relative come to stay or eat at their table when both jobs and food were scarce.

Mom was always an excellent student, graduating from Wyndmere High School at the top of her class, then going on to attend the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. Our Dad, Vern Neff, was the first person she met as she stepped off the train. And as they say, the rest was history.

During her time at UND, majoring in Astronomy, Mom worked as a secretary for the State Geologist, Dr. Laird. Our parents always said that it was on Professor Laird’s advice that they moved to Williston following Dad’s graduation from law school, as oil had just been discovered near Tioga and a boom was sure to follow.

They genuinely loved their home and community in Williston. Their children, Donna Neff, Barbara Nash, and Charles Neff were all born there, and Chuck lives there still, practicing law in the same firm as his father did for so many years.

As reserved as Mom was, she was very active in her children’s activities and in the life of her community. She was a long-time member and officer in both Beta Sigma Phi sorority and in P.E.O., Chapter AN, making life-long friends in both organizations. She was a faithful member of Faith United Methodist Church, teaching teenagers in Sunday School for many a year. She belonged to the Red Hat Society, P.E.O. Book Club, and the Rocking Chair Club, and was known throughout to go all out when hosting any themed event.

Mom was a life-long learner and often said that she re-invented herself about every 10 years or so. For a time, she was a serious artist. A founding member of Prairie Painters, she loved attending painting classes and promoting local artists. During this time, she won several awards and even sold some pieces. At least the ones she was willing to part with. For years, our house always smelled vaguely of turpentine.

Later, Mother was a founding member of Just For You Boutique, and the smell of turpentine was replaced with carved apples drying on every available level surface, and marbles being cracked in a hot oven instead of cookies. Too bad Etsy was not around at the time. She would have loved that as well.

She was an accomplished seamstress and sewed many of her daughters’ clothes, including Prom dresses and Rainbow formals. She could copy any picture we brought her from Seventeen Magazine, or even Vogue. When Chuck felt left out, she sewed him a plaid sport coat, still on display in his confirmation photo in the hallway of Faith UMC.

Mom was also a poet and novelist. Aside from caring for her growing family, this was her most abiding interest. Several of her poems have been published in national magazines, such as The Torch of Beta Sigma Phi, and the P.E.O. Record. Her poem about her father, Geometry of Fields, was featured in North Dakota Horizons magazine. She published three novels late in life, with at least 4 more available as hand-typed manuscripts, or, more recently, computer files. She always expressed some disappointment that she never made the Best Seller list, but she loved writing just the same.

Over 50 years ago, using a gift from her father, Vincent, Vern, and Nita bought some acreage on the shores of Lake Sacajawea. Over time, this has become a favorite hang-out and haven for us children and now our children and grandchildren. Mom was able to be at the lake with us many times this past summer, enjoying her screen porch and listening to the Meadowlarks in the morning and the laughter of children in the evening. We are grateful for the joy of having her with us this final lake summer and will be forever blessed by the fond memories created there over the years.

Our Mom, Juanita, is survived by her three beloved children: Donna Neff (Walt Jesteadt), Omaha, NE, Barbara Nash (David), Bismarck, and Charles Neff (Sherry), Williston, as well as ten wonderful grandchildren: David (Monica Monzingo) Jesteadt, Los Angeles, CA, Eric (Tiffany) Jesteadt, Arlington, VA, Brian Jesteadt, Sterling, CO, Laura (Jon) Dronen, Hazen, ND, Benjamin (Meghan) Nash, Edmonds, WA, Alexander Nash, (Stephanie Secor), Bellevue, WA, Kristine Neff, Tulsa, OK, Matthew (Sarah) Neff, Jenks, OK, Miranda Neff, Sand Springs, OK, Tara (Samuel) Erickstad, Williston., and a bonus granddaughter, Lydia Obeng, Wylie, TX. She also took great joy in her growing number of great grandchildren: Sidney, Cordelia, Elliott, Caitlin, Dillon, Kaia, Margaret, Lucas, Jordan, Penelope, Vance, and Mackenzie, with bonus great-grandchildren Kwabena and Dakota. She leaves behind in-laws Lois Neff, Bonnie Neff, Tom Wentz, and many other nieces and nephews whose lives she always followed with interest.

Mom was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Vern, her parents, Vincent and Florine Jones, as well as all of her siblings and their spouses, Howard (Pat) Jones, Delbert (Luvern) Jones, Marvin (Luvern) Jones, Colleen Schoenthal, and Virginia (Lloyd) Erickson.

Mom wouldn’t want any fuss over her passing, but we are going to fuss a bit anyway. She is leaving behind a hole in our hearts that will never again be filled. We were truly blessed, not only by how wonderfully she raised us, but also for the friendship and love we shared as adults. We will be forever grateful that she stayed with us for so long! Still, not long enough. God rest your weary soul, Mom.

Say Hi to Dad for us.

Memorial Contribution