Lorraine Belt Fortenberry died peacefully on March 11, 2008, at Silsbee Convalescent Center. She was born to John and Maude Evelyn Belt on December 9, 1926, in Colmesneil, Texas. She graduated from Colmesneil High School and came to Beaumont to work at Magnolia Refinery at age 17. She was among a small group of young women selected to be trained as key punch operators when Magnolia Refinery (now Exxon Mobil) installed its original computer system developed by IBM. This pioneering group of women remained friends for life.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Fortenberry and youngest daughter, Tammy Jane Fortenberry. She is survived by her daughters, Candye Anderson of Beaumont and Amy Brown of Jasper; granddaughters, Jessica Brown of Tyler and Abby Brown of Jasper; and great grandson, Grayson Brown of Tyler.
A gathering of family and friends in celebration of her life will be held at her daughter’s home at 685 19th Street in Beaumont on Saturday, March 15 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The family will have a private ceremony to scatter her ashes at a later date. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin, Beaumont.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made in Mrs. Fortenberry’s name to the Humane Society of Southeast Texas, P. O. Box 1629, Beaumont, Texas 77704 or to the Animal Rescue Organization of your choice.
The family would also like to thank the staff at Silsbee Convalescent Center for their love and compassionate care of their mother and grandmother.
