Jane Elizabeth Sartain Quenelle, age 99, of Monticello, GA died Thursday, January 30. She was a native of Jasper, Alabama, and the daughter of Gertrude Brown Sartain and Charles Manley Sartain. She graduated from Walker County High School and attended Judson College, majoring in music. She earned a B. S. Degree with honors in Sociology from Auburn University where she met her husband, John Albert Quenelle. She was inducted into Cardinal Key and was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority where she was in the White Rose Society and in 2015 received the Diamond Circle Award for 75 years of active membership in Kappa Delta. She attended graduate school at the University of North Carolina School of Social Work in Chapel Hill. During WWII, she worked with the American Red Cross as Home Service Director as the liaison contact between military personnel and their families in Gadsden and Huntsville. When John Quenelle returned from the Pacific in 1945, the couple married two weeks later. Upon completion of John’s Army duties, they moved to Thomaston, GA, and then in 1948 to Sylacauga, Alabama, where John began employment with Avondale Mills. They moved to Sycamore for several years when John was named plant manager of the mill there. She served Sycamore Baptist Church as director of Vacation Bible School and church organist/pianist. The family moved back to Sylacauga in 1969, and Jane became active again at First Baptist Church of Sylacauga serving the Primary Department, In-Home Ministry, Bereavement Ministry, Meals On Wheels, and Lydia Sunday School Class. She had a spirit of volunteerism and could be found at one of her children’s schools as a PTA worker, at the Republican Party Headquarters, or at the American Red Cross office. She received the Lettye Byrum Award from Sylacauga Arts Council and the Exchange Club Woman of the Year Award.
Following the death of her husband in 2014, Jane moved to The Retreat in Monticello, GA, where she lived for 5 ½ years. She is survived by her three children: John Quenelle (spouse Carol Van Laare), Birmingham, AL; Lynne Quenelle Jordan (Steve) of Monticello, GA; and Mark Quenelle (Margie) of Durango, CO. Grandchildren are David Quenelle of Birmingham, AL; Laura Quenelle Mendez (Marcial) of Birmingham, AL; Peter Clotfelter-Quenelle of Los Angeles, CA; Walker Jordan (Jen) of Monticello, GA; Lucye Jordan Magill (Towner) of Mt. Pleasant, SC; Bonner Jordan Clifford (Chris) of Mt. Pleasant, SC; Cruise Quenelle (Claudia) of Golden, CO; and Alan Quenelle (Starr) of Nashville, TN. Great grandchildren are Maddox Mendez, Mia Mendez, Walk Jordan, Weller Magill, Sally Magill, and Carson Quenelle.
Graveside service for Ms. Quenelle will be Tuesday, February 4, 2020 at 2:30 PM at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery with a visitation at 1:30 PM at Curtis and Son North Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to The First Baptist Church of Sylacauga, P. O. Box 234, Sylacauga, AL 35150.
