Obituary of Nancy Jayne "Our Babe" Fortenberry Best

September 9, 1941 - May 3, 2025

Nancy Jayne Fortenberry Best, “Our Babe”, 83, of Woodville, passed away Saturday, May 3, 2025 at Dogwood Trails Manor Nursing Home in Woodville, Texas.

Visitation will be held Friday, May 9, 2025 from 5 – 7 p.m. at Stringer & Griffin Funeral Home in Woodville.

Funeral services will be 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 10, 2025 at Stringer & Griffin Funeral Home Chapel with burial to follow in Campground Cemetery all in Woodville. Officiating will be Brother Mark Tolar. Serving as pallbearers will be Brandon Best, Jake Bradley, Santiago Diaz, Jared Perry, Cullen Schrader, Aaron Slacum, and Hunter Perkins.

Jayne was born September 9, 1941 to Oscar and Lilla Chambless Fortenberry in Woodville, Texas. A native and longtime resident of Woodville she was a former resident of Jasper. Jayne was a 1960 graduate of the Old Kirby High School in Woodville. She went on to receive her Masters in Education at SFA in Nacogdoches. She retired after over 30 years as a teacher in southeast Texas. She loved her students and teaching brought her great joy. She was a member of TSTA and the Woodville Reading Club. She enjoyed shopping for antiques, clothing and plants. She loved her family and her family history. She especially loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She often said there is a time and place for everything and sometimes she would say, and this is not the time or place.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Oscar and Lilla Fortenberry; sisters, Bobbie Jean Swinney and Billie Frances Polk; and brother, Lloyd C. Fortenberry.

She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Bertis Best of Woodville; son, Bryan Best and wife, Priscilla of Brenham; daughter, Janet Bradley and husband, Chuck of Orange; brother, Cecil Fortenberry and wife, Margie of Woodville; sister-in-law, Mary Ann Fortenberry of Woodville; grandchildren, Julia Perkins and husband Hunter, Cassandra Diaz and husband Santiago, Brianna Perry and husband Jared, Amanda Slacum and husband Aaron, Jake Bradley and wife Morghan, Alanna Schrader and husband Cullen, and Brandon Best; great grandchildren, Santiago Diaz, Gabriela Diaz, Reece Slacum, Evan Slacum, Adrian Slacum, Victoria Perry, Charlotte Perry, Waylon Bradley, Porter Perkins, Wyatt Perkins, Wesley Schrader, and Lydia Bradley (due in July).

Memorials may be made to Campground Cemetery Association, 541 CR 2080, Woodville, Texas 75979.

The family wants to thank Amanda Lewis, Madison Stafford and Amber Davis for the exceptional care they have provided.

Services are under the direction of Stringer & Griffin Funeral Home in Woodville, Texas.