Edna Juanita Gillison

Edna Juanita Gillison, 96, passed away peacefully on August 29, 2026. She was born on February 8, 1930, and was raised in Adel, Georgia.

Juanita attended business school in Atlanta, where she met her first husband, W. B. Hankinson, Jr. After his passing, she later married her second husband, Marion L. Gillison. Throughout her life, Juanita found her greatest joy in her family, especially in being a mother.

Juanita had a love for the simple pleasures of life. She enjoyed flower gardening and took great pride in cultivating beautiful flowers. She also loved cooking for her family and friends, bringing people together around her table and sharing the meals she prepared with love.

One of Juanita’s favorite pastimes was crocheting. She treasured the craft and believed it was important to pass it along to the next generation. She took great pleasure in teaching her family how to crochet, ensuring that a skill she loved would continue through the generations.

Juanita was preceded in death by her first husband, W. B. Hankinson, Jr.; her second husband, Marion L. Gillison; her son, W. B. Hankinson, III; her parents, Vadie Josh Crews and Mary Elizabeth Green Crews; her brother, James Crews; and her grandson, Daniel Gillison, Jr.

She is survived by her sons, John Hankinson (Stella), Kenneth Hankinson (Dawn), and Michael Hankinson (Cara); grandchildren, Kandel Bridges (Jeff), William Hankinson (Diana), Scott Hankinson (Melissa), Michaela Hankinson (Jon), Hays Hankinson, Rede Hankinson, and Rhea Hankinson; and great-grandchildren, Abby Claire Walley (Kohl), Gavin Gillison, Grant Hankinson, Archer Hankinson, and Lily Hankinson.

She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, including Carol Beehler, Mary Schuster, Edie Crews, Elizabeth Bode Mills, Veronica Hutchens, Jamie Gonzales, and James Crews, as well as many other extended family members and dear friends.

A graveside service to honor Juanita’s life will be held at 11:00am on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at Middleground Baptist Church Cemetery.