Willie Juhan, Sr.

Paschal Memorial Funeral Home of 181 North Church Street, Jeffersonville, GA  announces funeral services for Mr. Willie Juhan, Sr., age 85, of McIntyre, GA, who was called into eternal rest on Sunday, June 29, 2025. Funeral services will be held Monday, July 7, 2025 at the Wilkinson County High School Auditorium, 11481 GA Hwy 57, McIntyre, GA at 1:00 p.m. Interment will follow in the Allen Cemetery,  Irwinton, GA.

In the tapestry of life, some threads shine brighter than others, weaving stories that inspire generations. Willie Juhan, Sr., affectionately known as “Buck” or “Buck Dooly”, was one such luminous thread.

Born on September 30, 1939, to the late Alonza II and Mary Juhan in Wilkinson County Georgia, Buck emerged as the eldest of six children, naturally assuming the role that would define his entire life: the patriarch, the leader, the one who blazed trails for others to follow. Buck completed his education at Calhoun Consolidated High School in 1957. His spiritual foundation was laid early at New St. Paul CME Church in Irwinton, Georgia, under the guidance of Rev. Freddie Howard. There, Buck served with purpose as a Board Treasurer.

In July 1979, Buck’s life took on a brighter hue when he married the gorgeous Linda Powell from Jones County. Their union was blessed with daughter Kimberly Juhan Talley (Marshall). From his previous marriage to Barbara McCormick came sons Willie Jr. and Terrance Sr. (Sharon).

Buck worked extreeemely hard. He possessed that rare combination of skilled hands and visionary spirit. Beginning as a master mechanic at Ford, he understood the intricate dance of gears and engines, but his dreams reached far beyond the garage floor. With unwavering determination, he broke barriers and shattered expectations, establishing Juhan Automotive and Salvage, the first Black-owned trucking and salvage company in Wilkinson County.

But Buck’s entrepreneurial spirit didn’t stop there. Alongside his baby brother Jr., he co-owned JJ’s Hideaway, a venture that opened doors to a lifetime of success in the underground beverage industry locally.

These weren’t just businesses; they were Buck’s classrooms, where he taught his sons invaluable lessons about trade labor, hard work, and the entrepreneurial spirit. His deep knowledge of the beverage industry became a precious inheritance, passed down to his daughter Kim, who would find her own remarkable success in the hospitality industry. Buck also worked at Engelhard as a master mechanic where he retired with 38 years of service.

Those who knew Buck best will smile remembering his particular pleasures: providing services to the community, the gleam of a well-maintained car, the thrill of the race, and those cherished Waffle House visits after his runs in Macon. These weren’t just hobbies; they were expressions of a man who found joy in life’s simple treasures and shared them generously with those he loved.

Buck was preceded in death by his beloved parents, Alonza II and Mary Todd Juhan, and his baby brother, Alonza III, who surely welcomed him home with open arms.

Buck leaves to mourn in his memories his loving, beautiful, and devoted wife Linda Juhan, his kids; Sherry Diane Cobb’Wormley, Terry Ann Curry, Vickie Jones, Sharon Jones, Toni Prosser, Willie Juhan, Jr., Terrance Juhan, Sr. (Sharon), Kimberly Juhan Talley (Marshall) and God Son Lashar Todd (Sheononna), 18 grandkids and 13 great grandkids. He is also survived by brothers Earl Juhan (Diane) and Walker Lee Juhan, Sr. (Anna), sisters Mary Jo Juhan and Laura Juhan Pickett (Otis), sister-in-law Robbie Juhan, and a host of loving nieces, nephews, and cousins that all loved him.

As we celebrate Buck’s remarkable journey, we don’t say goodbye—we say “until we meet again” to a man whose spirit will forever inspire us to live with purpose and love without reservation.

In loving memory of a patriarch, a pioneer, and most importantly, a man who knew that family is everything.

Public viewing will be held Sunday in the A.B. Thorpe Memorial Chapel of Paschal Memorial Funeral Home from 1pm - 6pm. 

Condolences can be expressed at: www.paschalmemorialfh.com

Professional services are entrusted to Paschal Memorial Funeral Home of Jeffersonville.

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