Juanita Pena Montes

Juanita Peña Montes, 78, passed away November 14, 2022 following a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Services will be held Saturday, December 3, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines, IA with visitation one hour prior. The service will be livestreamed from www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com below Juanita’s obituary.

Juanita was born August 7, 1944 the only child of Joseph D. Peña and Alice Stone Peña in Harlingen, Texas. After Alice sadly died in childbirth, Joe met and married Maclovia Marquiz making Juanita the oldest of six children. They moved to Parlier, CA in 1954.

She married Jesse Montes in 1960 and from this union four children were born. The family moved to Des Moines in 1969. Juanita later moved to Clovis, CA, after their divorce in September of 1980, where she raised her four children. In 2003, Juanita reunited with Jesse in California and proceeded to live the rest of her life with her first and only love. In September 2019, the couple returned to Iowa to live out their retirement.

Left to cherish her memory are her children, Sandra Rivas (Brandon), Alice Bassett (Bill Walsh), Jesse Montes, Jr. (Lisbeth), Monica Morgan (Bryan Wiegand); half- brothers, Joseph Peña, Jr. (Trudi), Robert Peña (Suzan), and Fred Peña (Tonia); six grandchildren, Rylee Bassett, Keny Bassett, Makena Tomlinson (Josh), Jasper Montes (Sierra), Corey Montes (Austin Morris), and Ashley Rivas; four great-grandchildren, Nathan and Conner Tomlinson and Asher and Robyn Montes; and many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Juanita was preceded in death by her biological mother, Alice Stone Peña and baby brother; father, Joseph D. Peña; step-mother Maclovia Peña; and half-sisters, Hilda Gusto and Linda Peña.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the family in loving memory of Juanita.

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