James L. Fortenberry

Funeral services for Jim (James L.) Fortenberry, 71, will be held on Friday, May 20, 2022, at 10 a.m. at Kilpatrick Funeral Home in Farmerville.

Pastor Frank Valenzano will officiate.  Visitation will be on Thursday, May 19, 2022, from 5-7 p.m. at Kilpatrick Funeral Home in Farmerville.

Jim was born January 2, 1951, in Delhi, and passed away May 16, 2022.  Jim lived a long and adventurous life.  He was a cotton and soybean farmer at Holly Ridge; an electronics technician for Simplex Time Recorder Company and for his own business; a poultry farmer at Spearsville, Louisiana; an over the road truck driver and a timber log truck driver in Union Parish.  He ventured across the United States as an over the road truck driver.  He toured the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, rode an open-top double-decker bus in London, and stood in 38 below zero weather in Wiseman, Alaska, to see a spectacular display of the Northern Lights.  He loved hunting, trapping, and fishing but mostly loved being Papaw.  

He is preceded in death by his parents, M.B and Beatrice Fortenberry of Holly Ridge, and grandson Gage Campbell of Sterlington.

He is survived by his loving wife of 49 years, Betty Powell Fortenberry; sons, James M. Fortenberry and Jonathan L. Fortenberry and his wife, Kelly; grandchildren, Justin L. Fortenberry, Kelsey Lynn Fortenberry Smalling and husband, Cody Smalling, Journey Bryan, Reb L. Fortenberry, and Rowdy F. Fortenberry; great-granddaughter Caroline D. Smalling; sisters, Alice Ogles and Charlotte Plakiotis; nephews Stephen Randall (Randy) Ogles and James Anthony Plakiotis; nieces Allyson Ogles and Mary Plakiotis; and other great nieces and nephews.

The family requests memorials be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or the charity or church of your choice. A private graveside for family will be held at the Masonic Cemetery in Rayville.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.kilpatrickfuneralhomes.com.