Colonel Juanita Marie “Kym” Hoerr (Ret.) of Zephyrhills, Florida, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at the remarkable age of 96. She was born in Ogden, Utah on March 13, 1929. Her illustrious military career began when she enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) in 1948 after graduating high school from the Academy of our Lady (Peoria, Illinois).

Col. Kym was a member of the Greatest Generation, The World War II Generation. During her initial three-year enlistment, she was stationed primarily in Germany, often shocking residents with her ability to speak their language fluently. After completing her initial enlistment, she returned to civilian life in Peoria and enrolled for one semester at Bradley University before moving to California to attend Santa Monica City College for three semesters, ultimately earning her BS degree from Los Angeles State College in 1958.

Following graduation, she spent eighteen months teaching physical education at LaPuente High School before applying for a commission in the US Army. She was subsequently commissioned as a First Lieutenant and assigned to Ft. McClellan, Alabama, for six months of training. She next served as an Army recruiting officer in Richmond, VA, before returning to Germany for four years, where she commanded the WAC Detachment in Munich and served as the Dependents Schools Officer in Augsburg. While based in Germany, she made time to travel extensively making memories that would last her lifetime, visiting Austria, Yugoslavia, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Switzerland, France, England, Ireland, and Scotland.

After returning to the U.S., she completed six months of Officer Advanced Training before transferring to Oakland, California, where she commanded the WAC Detachment and subsequently served as Adjutant for the Oakland Army Depot. During her time in Oakland, she underwent surgery to remove her kneecap—following three prior procedures in Munich—which required a twenty-six-day recovery at Letterman General Hospital in San Francisco.

Following her time in Oakland, she was assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to serve as the Company Commander of the WAC Company. While stationed there, she founded the Army’s sole WAC choral group, the “Angels in Army Green,” which performed at formal civilian and military events at local hospitals and appearing on television stations.

After serving at Ft. Bragg, she trained in computers at Ft. Monmouth, NJ, before becoming the Chief of Army Doctrine Publications (ADP) at Ft. Bliss, TX, with the U.S. Army Air Defense Command. Next she completed the Advanced Data Processing Systems Analyst program at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana and subsequently returned to Ft. Bliss to utilize this training, before she completed her active-duty service as the Chief of Receiving and Processing for female military personnel at Ft. McClellan, Alabama.

After leaving active duty in 1972, she remained a Major in the reserves, advancing to Lieutenant Colonel and ultimately achieving the rank of Colonel on November 20, 1981. During this period, she served in the Individual Mobilization Augmentee Group and as the Vermont State Coordinator for the Office of Civil Defense. Additionally, she earned a Master of Science in Education from Baylor University in August 1973, an achievement in which she took great pride.

Outside of her military service, she was a master goldsmith and manufacturing jeweler who proudly owned and operated Kym-Je Jewelers in Vermont for many years, specializing in custom wedding sets. Driven by a love of learning, she also shared her expertise as an instructor in jewelry making at Green Mountain College. Following a successful 30-year run, she sold her jewelry business and moved to Florida in 2000, accompanied by her beloved friend Jean Callahan.

After arriving in the Sunshine State, Col. Kym quickly cultivated a close-knit community that became her second family. Driven by a lifelong passion for learning, she honed her skills at the William Holland School of Lapidary Arts in Georgia and eagerly shared her knowledge at various other institutions teaching classes in wax carving and casting. As a former club president of the Tampa Bay Mineral & Science Club, she showcased a vast mastery of the craft, ranging from slabbing, cabbing, silver and goldsmithing, wire wrapping, and intricate chain mail.

Col. Kym’s warmth and spirit will be deeply missed by her family and many friends. In honor of her lifelong compassion, the family suggests memorial contributions to Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, Inc. (P.O. Box 216, Miles, TX 76861; Tax ID 77-0562800) in lieu of flowers. A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Zephyrhills. She will later be laid to rest with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery, a final tribute to her dedicated service to our nation.