Mary Louise Fortenberry
(03/05/1929 – 07/30/2023)

Mary Louise Fortenberry, 94 of Mendenhall, MS passed away Sunday, July 30, 2023, at the Magee General Hospital in Magee, Mississippi. She was born Tuesday, March 5, 1929, in Simpson County, Mississippi.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, August 3, 2023, from 10:00am until 11:00am at Colonial Chapel Funeral Home, 3077 Simpson Hwy 13, Mendenhall, Mississippi. A graveside funeral service will be held on Thursday, August 3, 2023, at 11:30am at Stonewall Baptist Church Cemetery in the Shivers Community. Bro. Roger Lee will officiate. Colonial Chapel Funeral Home of Mendenhall is in charge of arrangements. 601-847-4401

Mrs. Mary was a member of Stonewall Baptist Church in Mendenhall, Mississippi. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, daughter, sister, and friend. She loved singing gospel music, working in her garden, going to lunch with friends, but most of all spending time with her family. She will be greatly missed by all her loving family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James H Fortenberry, Sr.; father, Willie Crawford; mother, Clara Cline Crawford; brothers, Weber Crawford, Truitt Crawford, James Earl Crawford and Larry Gene Crawford; and sister, Sue Crawford Owens.

Survivors include her two sons, James H. Fortenberry, Jr. (Eunice) of D Lo, MS and Samuel J. Fortenberry (Karen) of Gulfport, MS; one daughter, Hazel Fortenberry Deweese of Mendenhall, MS; six grandchildren, James Roy Deweese, Jr. (Angie), Shane Clint Deweese, James H. "Trey" Fortenberry, III (Bethany), Samuel J. Fortenberry, Jr. (Peggy), Amanda Schmakel, Lisa Sullivan and; 14 great-grandchildren; 18 great-great-grandchildren; two sisters, Carolyn Crawford Thompson and Ann Crawford Simmons; and a host of other family members and friends.

Pallbearers will be Sam Fortenberry, Trey Fortenberry, Jacob Fortenberry, James Roy Deweese, James Deweese, and Paxton Fortenberry.

The family would like to say a special thank you to Christy Hinton, Hillcrest Nursing Home, and Magee General Hospital for the wonderful care that was given to their mother.

An online guestbook may be signed at www.colonialchapelmageemendenhall.com