Alma Janelle Fortenberry

Mississippi, she was a long time resident of Shreveport, Louisiana. Janelle was born the 6th of 8 siblings to Thomas Denver “T.D” Sills, Sr. and Alma Pauline Little Sills.

Janelle, affectionately known as Teenie by her deceased husband Jimmie Glynn Fortenberry Jr. (whom she had known since the second grade), and called, affectionately Meme, by her grandchildren and great grandchildren, leaves behind two daughters, Kimberly Ward and her husband James Ward, and Tracie Bentzler and her husband Paul Bentzler.

She was the proud grandmother to Sarah Parker and her husband Trey Parker, Hunter Ward, Meagan Adams and her husband Russell Adams, and Melissa Jones and her husband Jeffrey Jones. Her legacy also includes great-grandchildren Joel and Jonah Parker, and Blake and Ava Adams. Janelle is also survived by her older sister Peggy Sills Araiza and her husband Bill Araiza, her brother-in-law Larry Raffield and his son Michael, her brother-in-law Wayne Fortenberry and his two sons, Tim and Tony, her sister-in-law Deborah Rosenburg, and her nephew Christopher Fortenberry and his wife Shelia.

She was preceded in death by her parents Alma and T.D Sills Sr., her husband Jimmie Glynn Fortenberry Jr., her brothers Milford Sills, Billy Joe Sills, Jerry Sills, T.D. Sills Jr., Glenn Sills; her sister Jane Sills Raffield and her niece Melissa Raffield Hudgens, nephew Joel Sills, her brother-in-law Paul Fortenberry, and sister-in-law Mary Ethel Fortenberry.

Janelle worked a number of years for Peoples State Bank and as a kindergarten teacher. She was a beloved mother, grandmother, and great grandmother who was known for her exceptional cooking and lovely gardening. Many hours were spent in her garden growing flowers the whole family could enjoy. She was married on June 29, 1957 and remained happily married to her beloved husband for 67 years.

She was an avid Ole Miss fan “Hotty Toddy!”.

Janelle will be remembered for building a home filled with love, devotion, and Christian values.

Pallbearers will be Russell Adams, Jeffery Jones, Christopher Fortenberry, Timothy Fortenberry, Michael Raffield, Steve Ward.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Jackie Sayles, Floyd Jones, Bill Araiza and Larry Raffield.

Mom has had a very tough time the last 2 1/2 years, I would like to thank the staff at Garden Park and Chateaus at Montclair for taking exceptional care of her. Here are some of the staff that Jim and I have come to know and love: Lisa, Tiffany and Sandy from the Chateaus. Elizabeth 1, Elizabeth 2, Anna, “Q”, Dot, Robert, Margerie, Kissie and Michelle.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to Broadmoor Baptist Church or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

** 1 Corinthians 13 (Love Chapter).

The Way of Love

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[b] 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.