Mobile, AL- Dr. Barbara H. Fortenberry, 94, went to her forever home in heaven from her home in Mobile on November 7, 2022. She was born in Monroe, LA on February 19, 1928 to John Robert Horton and Agnes Ethelle Humphries Horton.

She had two sisters, Johnye Agnes (Sis) Horton Salley and Sarah Lee Horton Henderson.

She was always intellectually curious and very devoted to the Lord. She was baptized at the age of two and at every revival held in the churches near her in Sterlington, LA she would rededicate her life to the Lord! Also, she learned how gasoline engines worked from studying her father's engineering books and then taught that to her playmates. She was valedictorian of her elementary school, and at Ouachita High School she was elected cheerleader four years in a row, and sang in the elite singing groups.

She attended Louisiana Tech in Ruston, LA for two and a half years and then met and married William M. Fortenberry in Monroe, La. They were married for over 62 years. She and W.M. had five children: Twins -Pamela Ellen Fortenberry Mendel and Susanne Elizabeth Fortenberry Wood, William (Bill) Madison Fortenberry, Jr., Nancy Carol Fortenberry Titko, and Robert (Bob) Horton Fortenberry. She moved with her husband as his career as an engineer with International Paper Company took them to Bastrup, LA, Natchez, MS, Georgetown, SC, Moss Point, MS, Panama City, FL, Mobile, AL, Farmington, ME, and back to Mobile, AL. Everywhere she lived, she was very active in the Presbyterian church, interdenominational prayer groups, and Bible studies, many of which she led. Her relationship with Jesus was integral to her daily life, sharing with anyone to whom she came in contact (even at the grocery store!). She led quite a few people to the Lord Jesus including her children and grandchildren, and in particular her oldest grandchild (Chad).

After she raised her children, she went back to college. She completed her B.S. degree in 1974 at the University of South Alabama. She earned her MS Ed in Reading in 1977 at the University of Maine, Portland-Gorham and her Ed. D in Education-Reading in 1984 at the University of Alabama. In 1988 she earned a post- doctoral certification in Gifted Education. From 1977-1983 she was a Reading Teacher for the Mobile County Public Schools, and from 1987-1993 she was a Gifted Education teacher for the Mobile County Public Schools. During that time, she and the music teacher at her school were selected to attend the Metropolitan Opera Guild's intensive workshop in New York City to train teachers how to teach students how to write and produce their own opera. They worked with the students at Mae Eanes Middle School to create an original opera. It was successfully performed both at the student's school and at Bishop State Community College in Mobile. She started and ran the SECME Club at Mae Eanes Middle School.

Barbara is survived by her children Pamela Mendel (Darren), William Madison Fortenberry, Jr. (Monica), Nancy Fortenberry Titko, and Robert Horton Fortenberry (Martha). She is survived by her grandchildren George (Chad) Charles Wood, Jr., and his children Austin and Justin; Elizabeth (Lisa) Wood Seals (Crawford) and their children Will and Avery; Jessica Wood Perkins (Hayden) and their children Preston, John Seton, Ashton and Anne Hayden; Amy Fortenberry Taylor (Jeff) and their children Paul and Sam; Susan Fortenberry Feliu (Andy) and their children Luke and Ben; Kathryn Fortenberry Brown (Sean) and their child Charlotte; Gavin Harmon; Jhanelle Lee (J.L.) Mendel-Blewett (Scott) and their children Bradley, Hunter and Audrey; Matthew Alan Titko; Robin Fortenberry Ricks (Judson) and their children Evelyn and Alice; Madison Fortenberry (Damiana) and their child Charlotte; and Davis Michael Fortenberry. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Rebecca Fortenberry who was married to J. Robert Fortenberry. Barbara is also survived by her nieces, Celie Salley Spinks (Harry), Kristen Byrd (Roger), Lisa Salley, and Linda Fortenberry Cypriano, and nephews Mark Henderson (Cherie) and David Henderson (Connie).

She is predeceased in death by her husband, W.M., her daughter, Susanne Fortenberry Wood, her son-in-law, George Charles Wood, and her grandson William David Wood. She is also predeceased by her parents, John Robert Horton and Agnes Ethelle Humphries Horton and her sisters Johnye Agnes (Sis) Horton Salley and Sarah Lee Horton Henderson and her husband Bert. She is also predeceased by her brother-in-law J. Robert Fortenberry.

Funeral services will be held at the McKneely Funeral Home in Amite, La. on Tuesday, November 15, 2022. Visitation will be from 9:30 am to 10:30 am. The funeral service will begin at 10:30 and the interment will be in the Amite Cemetery immediately after the service. Pallbearers will be Bill Fortenberry, Bob Fortenberry, Darren Mendel, Matthew Titko, Madison Fortenberry and Davis Fortenberry. For an online guestbook, visit http://www.mckneelys.com.