Juanita Clanton Fraley

Myrtle School, playing outside with neighbors , friends at the outdoor movies in the summer, going to the Temple Theatre on Saturdays, and riding my bike. I took piano lessons from Mrs. Kersh and dance lessons at Durham Dance School on Broad Street before my family moved to Florida for 3 years (8th, 9th and 10th grades). We moved back April, 1958 and Melvin Fraley and I started dating. He promised my Daddy that I would finish high school if we could get married. He had bought a house in Bessemer City, had furniture and had a good job. We were married June 20, 1958. I finished the rest of the 10th grade, 11th and 12th grades at Ashley High School as Juanita Clanton Fraley..

I remember dressing in white for the Daisy Chain. Mrs. Taylor's English class...changing classes, Business class with typing, shorthand and calculators and the cafeteria. I made good grades, the honor roll, and loved the classes. I was in Mrs. Taylor's home room and liked her. Melvin (my husband) delivered candy to the Cafeteria and I could see him drive in to the back of the school from my classroom. Each day Melvin brought me to school and went to work. I rode the school bus to my mother and daddy's home on Crescent Lane near Myrtle School until he picked me up to go to our home.

During High School, I worked for my mother doing embroidery work for Major League Bowling Lanes. I continued working after graduation and, also, attended Gaston College for two years receiving an AA Degree in Accounting.
December 20, 1960 I had a daughter, Tammy. She is married and has rwo children and two grandchildren. She is in Real Estate. Two and a half years later I had a son, Ricky. He was an electrician. He passed September 13, 1963 with Endocarditis eleven months after losing Melvin.
I worked at my church as financial secretary for over 3 years until I started my own monogramming business in Cherryville for 10 years.
Then in December, 1983, I went to work for the US Postal Service and retired in 2003 with 20 years of service.
Now, I enjoy my church, Temple Baptist, my family and I do line dancing and ballroom dancing for recreation and exercise.
I have done some clowning at church, hospitals and for parties. As a White face clown, I was known as "Sunshine".
After my husband passed in October, 2015, I moved to Gastonia July, 2016 to a condo. Now I have a daughter and three grandchildren and four great grands..
I first met Greg McMahan in 2023, and it was May, 2024 when we actually began talking to one another and now are companions enjoying many activities together. He is a pastor's son and is a wonderful person. He has been ordained as pastor of our visitation at Temple Baptist.
Life is great, the Lord is in my heart and He is my Guide daily. I believe He sent Greg to me because he loves the Lord, also, and we have so many things in common.