"I had plans for that money, that's why I had it in my purse," said Cox, who lives on Social Security. "But it wasn't losing the money that hurt as bad as losing faith in people."

A Homer resident for the past 21 years, Cox, who stands less than five feet tall, is known by her family as a force with which to be reckoned.

"I've seen her in really tough situations where, when you're a mom, you don't want to see your children go without," said her daughter, Donna Scovell of Homer. "I've seen her grow in so many ways as a human being. But when her money was stolen, she was shaken. She was thinking of walking away. She was thinking about shutting down. It just destroyed her faith and she couldn't get it back."

In short order, however, the friends Cox made since moving to Homer, the fellowship she shares at the Glacierview Baptist Church, and the associations she has made as a twice-a-week volunteer at the Public Health Clinic and once-a-week volunteer at the Homer Community Food Pantry rallied in her defense.

"We prayed right away that God would restore it," Diana Jeska, manager of the food pantry, said of her immediate response to Cox's loss.

Rick Wise, pastor at Glacierview Baptist Church, put Jeska's prayer into action.

"We were in the process of a service and I said, 'Juanita had a couple hundred dollars stolen. She's helping other people and we can make sure she doesn't have to suffer because of this," said Wise.

He made the first contribution and passed the opportunity to others.

"We weren't going to make a big collection out of it. It wasn't like a fundraiser," said Wise, surprised at the reaction. "I couldn't stop them. ... I just suggested it and everybody else spontaneously went along."

By the time word spread to those familiar with Cox and the work she does for others, what she received was twofold what she'd lost. The generous outpouring filled the empty place in Cox's purse with $400 and helped fill the empty place in her heart.

"When Glacierview did what it did, it so totally amazed her, and then the pantry gave her some money," Scovell said. "It was those acts of kindness, those acts of caring that helped her."

Born in Wyoming, Cox moved with her family to California during the Depression, searching for a better way of life. During World War II, she worked as an airplane mechanic at McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento, Calif. At one point, she constructed her own house out of tarpaper, covered the walls with chicken wire and built them up with cement, installed windows and doors, drilled a well, put in her own plumbing.

"There's never been anything she couldn't do," Scovell said.

Within months after the birth of her third child, Cox found herself a single parent, faced with the challenge of raising her two sons and daughter.

"She worked two or three jobs to keep food on the table," Scovell said. "A lot of times we didn't see much of her, but we were lucky to live where we had aunts and uncles. She worked really hard and they helped pick up the slack. We never lacked for care or attention. She made sure we just had the best we could possibly have, and she taught us all an incredible work ethic."

At the age of 49, while working as a head baker, Cox fell off a ladder. The spill broke her arm and crushed her back. The injuries and resulting surgeries haven't stopped her, but have slowed her pace.

The decision to move to Homer was so Cox could be close to her son, Ron. When Ron's job required him to move out of town, Cox stayed put. In 1991, she moved into Harbor Ridge Apartments and has been there ever since.

About the same time, Cox began volunteering at the Public Health Clinic and helped form the Homer Community Food Pantry, two involvements she continues to this day.

"When she came up here, I think she truly found happiness, found her calling," said Scovell, adding that Cox's volunteer work was her "passion and she went for it."

At the clinic, Cox does "any little thing they need me to do to make their job easier," she said. She shreds paper, keeps the supplies stocked and, in return, "they keep me in coffee."

Her efforts at the pantry focus on accounting, keeping track of how many people benefit from the pantry's efforts. In her spare time, she finds other ways to lend a hand and is someone Wise can count on if help is needed.

"In churches, like any group, you have people who head up things and then you have people who actually do the work," Wise said. "When I talk about volunteering, (Cox) doesn't volunteer to take over something, but she definitely works. She's the fill-in person."

Her level of giving has been recognized locally and at the state level. In 1999, Cox was honored by the Homer Chamber of Commerce as citizen of the year. In 2000, Gov. Tony Knowles presented her with the First Lady's Volunteer Award. In 2004, Cox received an award of appreciation from the Homer Community Food Pantry for "outstanding, tireless, exemplary volunteer services and dedication."

When not volunteering, she does crossword puzzles, sews and continues to be closely involved with her family. Her second son died at the age of 20, but her family has grown to include five grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and two great great-grandchildren.

Four Christmases ago, Scovell came to visit her mom. Realizing the only way to have more quality time with the woman who raised her was to move to Homer, Scovell did just that. Cox welcomed her daughter by telling her she had someone she wanted Scovell to meet.

"I hit my palm on my head and said, 'Oh, mom, please,'" Scovell said, laughing at the memory. On April 7, 2007, Terry Scovell, the man Cox had in mind, became her son-in-law.

Cox will spend Friday Christmas Day with her son and his family in Anchorage, having spent Thanksgiving with Scovell in Homer. Next year, she'll reverse it.

In spite of everything she has been through in life, the loss of the $200 was the first time she'd experienced a theft.

"I've never had anything like this happen," she said. "I always trusted people and don't even lock my doors, but I guess it's got to where we have to."

The generosity shown Cox not only helped heal the loss, it became part of her continual flow of helping others.

"Everybody just forked up money and I know a lot of them don't have it," she said. "I really didn't want that much, but I paid my tithes on it like you're supposed to. I just feel like you've got to give."

McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homeranews.com.