Longtime Burden resident, Juanita McNickle, 103, died Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at Rest Haven Nursing Home in Winfield where she had resided for the last five years.

Services will be Monday, August 10, 2020 at 1:00 P.M. at Miles Funeral Service in Winfield. Interment will follow at New Salem Cemetery. A visitation is scheduled at the funeral home on Sunday afternoon from 2 to 5. The family will greet visitors during this time.

A memorial has been established in Juanita's name for Winfield Rest Haven. Contributions may be made through the funeral home.

Juanita was born April 13, 1917 in Wichita to James L. and Helen (Bartlett) Swiggart. The family moved to a farm in Alfalfa County, Oklahoma, when she was eleven years old. She attended country schools there, and later met Raymond "Jack" McNickle. They were married in Enid, Oklahoma on August 4, 1934. In 1947, they moved to the farm south of Burden, and made their home and raised their family there. Jack died in 1994 but Juanita continued to live on the farm until 2014, marking 67 years of calling this place "her home."

Jack was a farmer, raised cattle and worked in the oil fields until his health failed. For the last 17 years of his life, Juanita cared for him in the family home.

Juanita loved her family, friends, church, gospel music, and flowers. For many years she had a large Iris garden which she opened to the public viewing each year. By the time she had to give up the garden, she had over 800 different varieties blooming and had become known throughout the area as "the Iris Lady." She was a member of the Winfield Church of Christ for more than 60 years.

Through her love of gospel music, she personally met a lot of well known singers and kept in touch with them through the years. One of her favorites was a young bass singer named Rodney Britt, whose deep voice is featured on many of the songs being used in her service as she had requested many years ago.

She was preceded in death not only by her husband, but by her parents, two brothers, a sister, son Jerry, a grandson, and a great-great grandson. Juanita is survived by her children: Helen of Rolla, MO; Jack of Cambridge; Jim and his wife, Mona, of Arkansas City; and Lelia (Jerry's wife) of Tulsa, OK. She also leaves 12 grandchildren, and numerous great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.