Holder of longtime Nevada women's bowling record Wren dies at 74

Juanita Wren, a longtime Las Vegas and Idaho bowling official who in 1969 helped set a Nevada women's team scoring record that still stands, has died in Caldwell, Idaho. She was 74.

Wren, who was long active in the Las Vegas Women's Bowling Association, died April 7 at her Caldwell home following a lengthy battle with cancer.

There were no services for Wren, who lived in Las Vegas from 1952 to 1973.

At the Nevada state bowling championship in 1969, Wren was a member of a five-woman Las Vegas team that amassed a 1,074 score, which is about 215 pins per bowler. Her teammates were Charlotte Barry, Sally Banner, Lea Moffett and Ann Martin.

Wren, who had a 183 career high average, began bowling in 1954 at Showboat Lanes and the old Las Vegas Bowl near where the Stratosphere Tower now stands.

She quickly fell in love with the game and soon after became active in the administration of local bowling organizations.

"At one time she was the secretary for all three of the leagues in which she bowled," her husband, L.D. Wren, said.

Born Juanita Adcock on Jan. 10, 1925, in Stringtown, Okla., she was the only daughter of Alpha Adcock and the former Nora Griggs.

Juanita married L.D. Wren on Feb. 9, 1952, in Las Vegas.

The couple moved to Caldwell in September 1973, where they ran a 10-lane bowling center.

In 1975 Juanita was a member of a team from Caldwell that won the Northwest regional championship.

In addition to her duties with women's bowling, Wren also was for several years an official for the Caldwell men's city bowling championship.

She also was a certified bowling coach who instructed young bowlers in Las Vegas and Caldwell. Wren was a member of the Youth American Bowling Association board of directors for 10 years.

Wren's husband said Juanita was so dedicated to the game that she kept paying her dues to the Women's International Bowling Congress long after her illness prevented her from playing the game. The WIBC, in turn, made her a lifetime member.

The Wrens were longtime regular visitors to Southern Nevada, where many of their relatives reside.

In addition to her husband, Wren is survived by a daughter, Mary Kathryn Melton; four grandchildren, Emily, Kathleen, Chris and Andrew Melton; and a great-grandson, Sean Melton; all of Henderson.

The family suggests that donations may be made in Wren's memory to the Mountain States Tumor Institute, 308 East Hawaii Ave., Nampa, Idaho 83686.

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