Janice Elizabeth Morgan McCrory, 76, of Jena, passed from this earth to her heavenly reward on Monday, May 4, 2020 following a sudden, short illness.
Born January 23, 1944, in Bay City, Texas, Janice was a graduate of Jena High School, Class of 1962, and received a Bachelor of Arts in education from Louisiana Tech University.
A schoolteacher, she devoted much of her life to educating students from elementary to junior high school in such spots as Pensacola and Middleburg, Florida; and at Lajes Field, on the island of Terceira in the Azores, Portugal.
She retired from Jena Junior High School in 2007 after teaching there for 16½ years, having twice been named Jena Teacher of the Year and, in 2000, LaSalle Parish Teacher of the Year.
A devout and committed Christian, Janice embodied the 32nd Psalm, verse 8: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” She could often be found in prayer and studying the Word, with most of her talks with God, carried in whispers to His ear, pleading for protections for her family and country.
She will be dearly missed by all whose lives she touched, counted among them her immediate and extended family, lifelong friends and hundreds of accomplished students the world over.
Her journey on this earth has ended, but her legacy will continue in the contributions of her students, the undying love of her family and the immutable memories carried by all her friends. As we pay our last respects, we find comfort in Psalm 56:8: “You keep track of my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”
Janice leaves behind the absolute love of her life, her devoted husband of 54 years, Ralph McCrory, whose hand she often could be found holding in trips to Walmart and the grocery store. Also left to cherish her memory are her son, Sean Patrick McCrory, of Denton, TX, and his wife, Cat; daughters Paige Elizabeth McCrory, of Deville, and Kimberly Ilene Lawson, of St. Augustine, FL, and her husband, Erik; sisters Glenda Bumar, of Jacksonville, FL, and Melba Ferguson, of Dripping Springs TX and her husband, Lonnie; brother, Harland Otis Morgan Jr., and his wife, Joan of Jena; six grandchildren, Morgan McCrory, Matthew McCrory, Hunter Lawson, Abby Lawson, Kimberly Brown and Madison Brown; five step grandchildren, Ashley Ostrander, Jonathan Birmingham, Andrew Birmingham, Brenna Birmingham and Matthew Birmingham; and one great-step grandchild, Loyal Birmingham.
Janice was preceded in death by her father, Harland Otis Morgan Sr.; mother, Ava Joy Allen Morgan; brother-in-law, Richard Bumar, Sr.; and nephew, Richard Bumar, Jr.
A private graveside service was held at the Nolley United Methodist Church cemetery. There will be a Celebration of Life to be announced later, under arrangements of Kinner and Stevens Funeral Home of Jena.
Pallbearers were Sean McCrory, Erik Lawson, Jason Masters, Scott Morgan, Brad Martin and Monroe Roark.
Honorary pallbearers were Harland Otis Morgan, Jr., Roy Bethard, Billy Doughty, Hunter Lawson, Matthew McCrory, Benny McCrory, Jr., David Morgan, Chris Morgan, Rob Morgan and Jim McCrory.