Juanita "Nita" Posey

Born on October 8, 1931 to Delbert Allen “DA” Mead and Mabel Cleo Varner Mead in Sapulpa, Oklahoma.

Nita attended schools in Twin Falls, and Jerome, Idaho, McFadden, Wyoming, Spaulding, Oklahoma, Newton, Kansas, Urbana, and Buffalo, Missouri, Sasakwa, Oklahoma, and graduated from Jerome in 1950. The smaller schools being one or two room schools and she also had to walk a mile thru the woods while attending Urbana & Sasakwa.

She married Alan Posey on June 18, 1950 they celebrated 67 years together prior to Alan's passing. Together they raised five children and one grandchild. They spent their first 19 years farming with Alan's parents, spending many long hours sorting spuds. She got to the point she felt she could do it in her sleep. Nita sewed many shirts and dresses for the children over the years. Her and Alan then bought their own place, moving to former Jack Lane lambing sheds and farm in fall of 1969 and building a house so their son Darin could finally have his very own room and the 2-eldest girls theirs. Moving around so much when she was young; a permanent home of her own was so important to her.

They raised row crops, Nita helped rake hay and beans, haul crops to the elevator. They also bought and sold dairy heifers. Nita enjoyed driving truck and passing time at the livestock sale by guessing the weight of the cattle usually coming within five pounds. She was also the NFO secretary.  Later they raised and sold organic beans and grain, to co-ops and warehouses on the west coast. Nita also was a Sunday school teacher for many years, and also worked numerus election polls.

The coffee pot was always on for those stopping in to visit, asking for advice or needing a listening ear. If it was dinnertime another place was set at the table. In 1985 they bought U.S. Forest and B.L.M. permits for sheep grazing. Their sheep herded from Jerome to Wild Horse, Deer Creek west of Hailey and Warm Springs west of Ketchum. Nita hauled water when needed, cooked for the crew in winter months, did the books, etc. She enjoyed annual barbeques with family and friends at lamb shipping time.

In 1998, after selling most of the farm, she really enjoyed being campground hosts from S.N.RA. north of Ketchum to Lola Campground northwest of Stanley, to Boundary Campground east of Sun Valley to Mosquito Flat Reservoir northwest of Challis. Alan had a heart attack in July of 2004 and thus ended this enjoyable career.

In April of 1999, they were able to travel into Canada and also took one last trip to see her relatives in Missouri going through Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa and Nebraska. They toured the Cheyenne Frontier Days Museum, Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Fort Hayes in Kansas, Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City and historic Carthage. In May they went to Yellowstone and Jackson Hole. In June they toured the Chief Joseph Trail in Montana to the Bear Paw surrender site. From December of 1998 to March of 2009, she stayed home and kept the home fires burning and helped to care for the sheep, while Alan drove sleigh for Sun Valley Company.

In recent years she especially enjoyed going to the cattle brandings, going for a drive, watching the kids ride and compete at rodeos and show steers at 4-H events. Nita enjoyed learning more of the family genealogy. Due to her Cherokee Indian heritage, she found special satisfaction and enjoyment in looking for Indian artifacts, (she could spot one practically before anyone else had got out of the vehicle or where no one else could even see any signs) and learning about them. Nita loved hunting by horse back and shooting her own elk. She also liked going to auctions of all kinds, thrift stores, yard sales, she loved a bargain, usually passing them on to someone else who needed or could use, she also enjoyed reading, crocheting and puzzles of all kinds!

She was preceded in death by her husband, Alan Posey; parents, Delbert “D.A.” and Mabel Varner Mead; and brother, William “Bill” Mead.

She is survived by her son, Darin (Connie) Posey; four daughters, Doris (Steve) Chapman, Lora Ohlensehlen, Tama (Tito) Perán, and Nala Posey; and grandson, Justin (Karma) Posey, who they were instrumental in raising; along with seven more grandsons, David "Eric" Hallman, Dusti Hall, Byron (Sierra) Posey, Kris (Carli) Ohlensehlen, Dan Ohlensehlen, KC (Carlie) Hall and Andrew Ohlensehlen; and one granddaughter, Arin (Jason)Lamm; 12 great grandchildren, Christina Santos Posey, Austin Hall, Destin Hall, Arilynn Hall, Cash Gardner, Amelia Hall, Hunter Lamm, Mackenzie Posey, Wyatt Posey, Jasie Lamm, Oakley Ohlensehlen, and Colton Ohlensehlen; and sister-in-law, Marian Posey; and many special nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The family would like to give special thanks to Dr. Edward Chen and his nurse Karrie and Dr. Nikole Rusk. Dusty Votrubeck and Theresa "Terri" Miller at Idaho Home Health and Hospice, for their expertise, loving care and support. She had an incredible life journey we are all so happy to have shared a part of it with her. The family requests that instead of flowers share a memory with them, take a kid camping or fishing, explore the great outdoors, plant a tree and above all make and take the time to visit with the elderly, listen to their stories and always leave them with a hug and “I love You!!”.

A private family service will be held at a later date.