Juanita J. Beran of Sargent, NE, Age 95, died on September 4, 2026, at CMHC in
Burwell, NE.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10 a.m., Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at the
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Sargent. Burial will follow at
the Mount Hope Cemetery in Sargent. Visitation will be on Monday, September 7, 2026,
from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the church followed by a Rosary at 7 p.m. Memorials may be
designated in Juanita’s name and determined at a later time.
Online words of remembrance may be left at www.govierbrothers.com. Govier Brothers
Mortuary in Broken Bow is in charge of arrangements.
Born on September 7, 1930, in Sargent, NE, Juanita was the only child of Mace and
Rosie (Griebel) Greenstreet. As a young girl, she received her elementary education at
Red Star Country School before making the trip every Sunday to spend the week with
the McIntosh family to attend Sargent High School. Because money was tight, she
received Normal School training from Mrs. Kidder in Sargent, thinking that she wasn’t
going to have an opportunity to further her education. But thanks to earning
valedictorian honors when she graduated Sargent High School in 1947, she was able to
get a scholarship to attend Kearney State College and obtain her teaching certificate.
While teaching elementary school, she met a charming young man by the name of
Frank Beran who was in town working as a surveyor for the Bureau of Reclamation.
They were married on August 25, 1951 and they made their home in Ord, NE where
she taught 2nd Grade. In 1952 they became parents to daughter Teresa Sue and in
1954 they moved west of Sargent to the Greenstreet Ranch to be closer to Juanita’s
parents. Soon after that they were blessed with a son, James Francis. Mrs. Beran
stayed home during the children’s formative years, and they purchased and moved to
the beautiful Beran Ranch nestled on the Middle Loup River southeast of Sargent,
where she was a ranch wife.
Eager to trade milking cows for a teaching job, in the early
1960’s she went back to school to earn a degree in elementary education. She taught
in Sargent and Westerville until her retirement. She lived on Beran Ranch until Frank’s
death in 2010 and moved into Sargent shortly after that. She spent another decade
enjoying “town life” before she moved to Burwell Community Memorial Health Center in
October of 2024 where she resided until her passing.
Juanita was a devoted wife, mother and grandma and she spent much of her time
helping Frank with ranch projects and his ABS business. She knew the way to show
her Beran boys how much they were loved was through their stomachs, and she
prepared and served many meals around her dining table while her kitchen often
smelled of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and apple pie. She loved her family
dearly and she enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren,
attending as many of their activities as possible. Recently her favorite activity was entertaining her great-great grandson in her lap. She had many hobbies to fill the rest
of her time including square dancing, playing cards and games, sewing, reading, baking
and gardening. Organizations that thrived with her involvement included the Catholic
Ladies Altar Society, Sewing for Babies, the Growing Young Senior Citizens fun night,
and the local bridge, hand-and-foot and pinochle card clubs. She was a faithful
member of the St. Mary’s Catholic Church and a volunteer in the Sargent Bulldog
Volunteer Corp.
Survivors include her daughter Teri Svoboda; son Jim (Janice) Beran; grandchildren
Scott (Renata) Svoboda, Chris (Jacki) Beran, Casey (Molly) Beran, Cory (Lisa) Beran;
granddaughter-in-law Jennifer Svoboda; great-grandchildren Weston (Shelby) Svoboda,
Rileigh Beran, Wryder Svoboda, Kaitlyn Beran, Mace Beran, Brennan Beran, Jack
Beran, James Beran, Joseph Beran, Hayes Beran, Natalia Svoboda, Brooklyn Beran,
Chet Beran, Joshua Beran, Chase Beran; and great-great grandson Barrett Svoboda.
She was preceded in death by her husband and her parents.
