Loyce Sanders Fenley

Funeral services for Loyce Sanders Fenley, 94, of Lufkin will be held Sunday, August 23, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. in the Carroway Funeral Home Chapel with Brother Elton Musick and Brother Cary Modisett officiating. Interment will follow in the Garden of Memories Memorial Park.

Loyce Sanders Fenley was born January 30, 1926 on the Zack Fenley Farm in Angelina County to Mellie Jane (Modisette) Sanders and Hiram Bell Sanders, Sr. She went to her heavenly home Tuesday, August 18, 2020 at The Joseph House.

At the age of 15 she met the love of her life, Doyle Fenley. They courted during her school years and when WWII broke out Doyle joined the Air Force and was shipped out. After graduating from Central High School she took a job at United Gas Co. where she worked during the week, always returning to the farm on the weekends to be with family. After Doyle returned, on November 3, 1945 she and her sweetheart were married. They had 58 years and 5 months of marriage before he passed away in July of 2004.

Loyce was a devoted wife and mother to their two daughters Saundra and Lawana. She was a homemaker and an amazing seamstress, making every garment she and her girls wore. She was very active in her girls’ school, she was the president of the PTA from 1957-1959, and even though her girls were 7 years apart she was always handy to volunteer for their school parties with cupcakes or taking an outlaw bus to the state fair (yeah, she really did). Seeing a need to help out financially, she sold Avon. She built up an amazing clientele and when she saw the need for her to help out at the Pollok Post Office where Doyle was a rural carrier, she passed that business to her sister Gaynell and proceeded on a new career path as a Postal Clerk. Over the years she worked at several Post Offices including Pollok, Wells, Forest, Huntington and Lufkin.

Loyce and Doyle were avid hunters and she could hold her own with any man when it came to bringing home the game, whether it was ducks in south Louisiana, quail in the valley, or deer in East Texas, she was lethal. Doyle always said she could out-fish him too. And there’s one catfish she hooked that proved that. Tiny rod, tiny line, tiny treble hook, but after about 20 minutes she landed it…a 25 pound yellow catfish.

Loyce loved to travel, she and Doyle made trips to Alaska, Hawaii, Greece, England, Italy, France and Spain to name a few. A preferred destination was always Colorado Springs to visit her favorite cousin Berwin. Even after Doyle passed away she and her sisters Jewell and Gaynell and a niece, Rita, began some great adventures together. And at least once a year she and her daughters would travel somewhere as a girls only trip; New Orleans, Disneyland, San Antonio and El Paso were some of their trips.

She was inducted into the Order of the Eastern Star, Lufkin Chapter 382 October 11, 1948, and was one of the first season ticket holders for the Angelina Arts Alliance, and rarely ever missed a performance.

Loyce’s love for life didn’t stop as she aged. She had played Joker every Tuesday night with a group of women that started in August of 2004. She was in church on Wednesday night, Sunday morning, and Sunday night. She taught the Ladies Adult Sunday School Class for several years. She was in The Mane Attraction every Friday morning and bought her groceries right after her appointment. She loved her apartment at PineCrest, and was super fond of her roomy (day sitter) Debbie. Anytime you asked her how she was, her reply was the same, “I’m just fine, I’m thankful to say”. And she was…

Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Lawana and Kent Johnson of Lufkin; son-in-law, David Montalbano of Pollok; grandchildren, Chris Ray, Brian Johnson, Chad Davis, Trey and wife Tiffany Davis; great-grandchildren, Ashlee Ray, Jordan Smith, Trent Hawkins, Ava Lee Johnson, and Kailee Davis; great-great-granddaughter, Trinsie Hawkins; sisters, Jewell Kirkland and Gaynell Thompson, both of Lufkin; brother and sister-in-law, Jake and Shirlene Sanders of Tupelo, Mississippi; and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, friends, and special caregivers, Debbie Davidson, Brenda Vansickle, and Kathy Dorsett.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Doyle Fenley; daughter, Saundra Davis-Montalbano; brothers, Don Sanders, Carl Sanders and Jim Sanders; and sister, Louise (Sanders) Burrous.

Pallbearers will be Kent Johnson, Trey Davis, Chris Ray, Donnie Sanders, Tony Sanders, Dave Montalbano, Dave Vansickle, and Rayford Quine.

Honorary pallbearers will be Kirk Kirkland, Sandy Kirkland, and Brian Johnson.

The family extends special thanks to PineCrest Independent Living and The Joseph House for their superb care.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Jerry Ray Scholarship Fund at Angelina College, P.O. Box 1768, Lufkin, Texas 75902, or The Joseph House, P.O. Box 150554, Lufkin, Texas 75915.

The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Saturday evening at the funeral home.

Memories and condolences may be added, and live webcasting of the services may be viewed, at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.

Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.