Dixie Merle Fortenbery

Dixie Merle Fortenbery, 73, passed on to Glory on December 19, 2011. Born May 27, 1938 in Lamesa, Texas, she moved to El Paso as a young girl. She attended Austin High School, then met and married Ellis Clifford “Pete” Fortenbery on March 3, 1955. She was busy with five children and was active in her church (when her health allowed), member of Humble Area’s First Baptist Church and former member of Scotsdale Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Alvin Ellis and Dinah Jesse (Lee) Atwood, her son Clifford Lee Fortenbery, her husband of 42 years, Pete Fortenbery, and her brother, Kemal Shea.

She is survived by her siblings, Jimmie Atwood (Connie), Lilli Mae Heinrich (Al Giron), and Patrick Shea (Eva), and her four children, Kenneth Fortenbery (Laurie), Debra Bell (Mark), Robert Fortenbery, and Joyce Merritt (Cyd); seven grandchildren, Marcia Ramos (Gene), David Fortenbery (Autumn), Michael Bell (Tanya), Andy Fortenbery (Tania), JoLynn Knotts (Ryan), Zach Merritt (Chip), and Laurel Shilling (Caleb). She was also blessed with twelve great grandchildren.

The Fortenbery family will receive friends and relatives on Friday, December 30, 2011 from 10:30 am to 11:30 am at Funeraria Del Angel Martin East with a Funeral Service at 11:30 am at the same location. Interment will immediately follow at Fort Bliss National Cemetery at 1:00 pm.