Obituary of Juanita Billups

Juanita was born on September 7, 1937, in Port Allen, Louisiana, to the late Scott and Mary Page Smith.  She was the fourteenth child of fifteen children. The Smith family were Greater Beach Grove Missionary Baptist Church members, where Juanita was baptized and confirmed as a young girl.

The family would later move to Zion City located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where she attended public schools and attended Southern University.

Juanita married in 1964 and move to Washington, DC in 1965.  Her love for fashion began when started her career in 1966 at Pat Arnold Talls (later renamed Tall Girl).  After several promotions and company mergers she would become their longest-serving employee of 43 years.  She absolutely loved interacting and assisting her customers with selecting clothing that they wouldn't have thought of.

Juanita was a beautiful soul with a pure heart. She loved life and those in her life.  Most of all she loved her family.  She loved keeping in touch with her siblings and countless nieces and nephews. She enjoyed entertaining friends with wonderful home cooked meals. She’s known for her gumbo and bread pudding. 

Juanita was a devoted mother who leaves her life and memories to be cherished by her daughter, Danielle Billups; along with a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and other relatives and dedicated friends.