Obituary of Creasy Jewell Fortenberry Hamilton

Long-time resident of Orange, Texas Jewell Hamilton died November 9, 2014 at age 96, surrounded by loving family at her daughter’s home in Blanco, Texas, where she has lived the past few years. Jewell spent most of her adult life in Orange, Texas, and was a long-time member of the First Baptist Church in Orange. Creasy Jewell Fortenberry Hamilton was born September 13, 1918 in Cherokee Community, Tyler County, Texas to Markus Laffett Fortenberry and Cora Weeks Fortenberry. Jewell grew up in the Campground Community of Tyler County, Texas near Woodville, Texas. She attended Kirby High School in Woodville, Texas and graduated in 1937. Jewell was the captain of her high school basketball team and had lifelong enjoyment in watching her children and grandchildren play sports. After high school Jewell went to work for the Telephone Company in Woodville and continued to work for AT&T Bell and later Southwest Bell for 38 years without losing one day for sickness. In 1940 Jewell transferred to Beaumont, Texas with the phone company where she met and married G. D. Hamilton, Jr. June 8, 1941 in Port Arthur, Texas. G. D. Hamilton worked for Humble Oil Company and they moved to Donaldsonville, Louisiana in 1943 and later to Mississippi for a short time. In 1945 they moved back to Woodville, Texas where they lived until 1951. At that time they moved to Fort Worth, Texas where Jewell continued to work for the phone company and G. D. worked on the B52 Bomber. In 1953 the family moved to Orange, Texas where Jewell raised her family until moving to Blanco, Texas in 2010. As grandchildren entered the family, and G. D. passed away in 1965, Jewell became known as “Granny” to her family and friends. Granny’s house was the place to gather for holidays and special events but also the daily hangout after school for grandkids and their friends because of the unconditional love she gave. Granny loved to bake and make cookies, cakes, pies, and all kinds of sweets. Over the years the grandkids, great grandkids, and all their friends continued to stop by after school for sweets and the special hug and smile from Granny. Granny had a way of making everyone feel as if they had their own special place in her heart. The friends became additional members of Granny’s family. Granny remembered everyone’s birthday or anniversary and never forgot to send cards for those events. Even during the last few days of her life on this earth, she was still directing others to be sure and send cards for three upcoming birthdays because she did not want them arriving late. Her advice and direction to all of us was to “stay together and love each other”. When her grandson, Tim, asked her what she wanted to tell all of us at her service, she said that she wanted us to know that she loved us all. Jewell was preceded in death by her parents Mark and Cora Fortenberry, her husband G. D. Hamilton, Jr., her grandson Gerald Duwane Hamilton, her sister Edith Fortenberry Shepherd, and her brothers John William, Floyd, Winfred, M.L., Jr, and Ernest Fortenberry. Jewell is survived by a host of friends, cousins, nephews, nieces, one sister-in-law, and her children Betty Jane Hamilton Nance and husband Donald Nance, Barbara Ann Hamilton Dufner and husband Howard Dufner, Edward D. Hamilton and wife Christine Hamilton, Kenneth Ray Hamilton, Sr. and wife Sharon Hamilton, and Billy Mack Hamilton and wife Dolores Hamilton. Also her grandchildren Tim Nance and wife Lisa Nance, Gary Nance and wife Michelle Nance, Dean Nance and wife Miranda Nance, Michael Parrish, Jeff Parrish, Jack Parrish, Jill Parrish Shores and husband Todd Shores, Corey Hamilton Kilgore and husband Gary Kilgore, Anna Hamilton Montgomery and husband Monty Montgomery, Leah Hamilton Stewart and husband Sinasi Stewart, Edee Hamilton Formell and husband Edward Formell, Kenny Hamilton, Jr and wife Sawitree Hamilton, Becky Hamilton Longron and husband Todd Longron, Jennifer Sims and Michelle Sims, Clay Sims and wife Jennifer, Mark Hamilton, Monica Vallejo and husband Alex Vallejo, Jody Rhodes and husband Scott Rhodes and honorary grandchildren Hunter Hancock, Lauren Parrish and friend Pasty Duncan. Great grandchildren Callie Jane Nance, Bret Leigh Nance, Avery Nance, Mason Nance, Madison Nance, Zyle Nance, Caleb Nance, Preston Nance, Olivia Ryan, Mallori Parrish, Alex Parrish and wife Melanie Benoit-Parrish, Justyn Parrish and wife Mindy Parrish, Lane Frillou, Wesley Frillou, Taylor Frillou, Jack Kilgore, Sam Kilgore, Easton Hathaway, Nicki Hathaway, Chloe Jewell Stewart, Austyn Stewart, Ava Formell, Blake Hamilton, Derek Hamilton, Macy Hamilton, Madelyn Hamilton, Gus Longron, Cooper Longron, Colt Longron, Mia Vallejo, Sophia Vallejo, Jett Sims, Max Sims, Owen Sims, Cash Sims, Jamie Rhodes, Jeremy Rhodes, Zach Shores, Jessica Mansfield and husband Cliff Mansfield, Josh Shores, and Levi Shores. Great Great Grandchildren Hudsyn Hamilton, Carson Hamilton, Knox Mansfield and Lucy Mansfield. Services will be held at Riley Funeral Home in Woodville, Texas at 11:00 am on Saturday, November 15, 2014 with Pastor Craig Curry officiating. Visitation will be from 9:00 – 11:00 am prior to the service. Pallbearers: All of Granny’s Grandchildren, Great Grandchildren, and Great Great Grandchildren are designated as pallbearers. Several family members will represent the family in this function.