Lorene Williams Fenton

Lorene Wiliams Dial Fenton was born to Charles Williams, Sr., and Mary Magdeline Bell Williams on April 7, 1933, in Bell Town of West Tennessee (Mary later married George Hatchett). Lorene entered her eternal rest on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 92 years young. 

Lorene was educated within the Metro Nashville Public School system and attended Pearl High School. She completed Nashville Occupational Industrial Training School in clerical skills. She was an avid reader with many interests and a lifelong student.

 Lorene loved spending time with friends in the North Nashville community during her early teen years, girl scouting, playing basketball, and socializing at the Eighteenth Avenue Community Center and Bethlehem Center of Nashville, where she was crowned “Queen of Teen Town” at age 16 years.

 Lorene and Roland Dial, Sr. married (1950) and bore six children whom she loved dearly - Victoria, Corrice, Rhonda, JoAnn, Roland, Jr., and Michael. Later, Lorene dearly loved and married Joseph Parker Fenton, Sr. (1980), and embraced his three children as a unified family: Judy Fenton Gentry, Jeffery, and Joseph, Jr. Fenton.

 Lorene cultivated a radiant life through Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, strong faith, personal beliefs, and Christian experience. She was Baptized at Saint James Missionary Baptist Church in 1951 under the pastorate of the late Reverend H. W. Turner. As a faithful member (74 years) and usher with consistently perfect attendance at Sunday School, she possessed a warm, caring spirit and loved church fellowship. She drove to church until the age of ninety-one, when her health challenges began.

 Lorene attributed her spunk and graceful age to exercise, being health conscious, and remaining involved in community activities. She loved and mastered Sudoku. Her life’s motto is “If you’re always ready, you don’t have to get ready.” She spent most of her life as an organized homemaker. She rendered community service as a safety mother patrol and advocate with the Metro Nashville Police Department (1970), resulting in a traffic light installation at 25 th and Clarksville Hwy; Member of the “Good Years Club” at Meharry Medical College; Meeting recorder for Andrew Jackson Homes and John Henry Hale Resident Association. As an officer for the Metropolitan Development Housing Agency Resident Association, she advocated for affordable housing policies alongside her friend Peaches Manning with trips to DC. She received accolades for her flower garden, curb appeal, good housekeeping, and highlighting her apartment to all new residents. She participated in the Meharry AARP Chapter regarding health care for 20 years. She faithfully attended the mid-week Seniors Fellowship at Nashville Gordon Memorial United Methodist Church.

She also worked annually with the Davidson County Election Voting Precinct. In her early years, she was a member of the Eastern Star. Lorene worked in textiles and sales retail, learned many skills in fashion, and managed her finances extremely well by “getting her ducks in a row” on Mondays. She loved being well-groomed and dressed in her stylish way, even as she aged. She maintained bimonthly appointments with her hairstylist and friend, “Jancy,” for the past 30 + years. Lorene also enjoyed entertainment, gardening, traveling, and friendships with her sisters in Christ: Susie Matthews, Vivian Rogers, Macia Vaughn, Ora Mae (Peaches) Smith, Fannie Sawyers, and Vera Bufford. 

Lorene loved and was loved by so many people. She was extremely fond of Ellen and Dick Jewells, known as the “Jewels of her life and Godparents” for more than 20 years, even though she was well beyond their age. Remaining constant in her life events, they celebrated joyous occasions, prayed through tragic moments together, and lovingly gifted her with two new cars. Lorene loved connecting with and blessing others. Arthur Benjamin, Jr from South Carolina, at 15 years old, came to Nashville to attend the National School of Business (1953). Lorene and Roland Dial, Sr. mentored and parented him as a son while raising their first two children. He attended business school and graduated from TSU with a degree in accounting and finance. Arthur maintained a lifelong relationship and gratitude with the family.

 Lorene often shared nuggets of wisdom with young ladies at Saint James Church and favored Janet King as a bonus daughter. Janet’s mother, Marian Yvonne (Sawyer) King, and Lorene attended Pearl High School together and played basketball at the Eighteenth Avenue Community Center. Decades later, Lorene’s granddaughter, Precious Creavalle, a domestic violence advocate, worked on Juvenile Court cases with Janet. The families developed a special bond that held many loving memories over the years.

 Lorene Williams Dial Fenton is preceded by grandparents Lucy and Charlie Bell, parents Mary and George Hatchett; Brother Charles Williams, Jr.; Former husbands Roland Dial, Sr., Joseph Parker Fenton, Sr.; Sister Thelma Williams Johnson; Son Joseph Fenton, Jr.; Close companion Leon Stafford. 

She is forever loved and cherished by beloved children: Victoria (Michael) Dial Hall, Corrice (Deborah) Dial, Rhonda Dial, JoAnn (aka Sumayya) Dial Coleman, Roland (Bridget), Dial Jr., Michael (Melodye) Dial, Judy Fenton-Gentry and Jeffrey Fenton; 18 grandchildren, 33 greatgrandchildren, 22 great-great-grandchildren, 11 nieces/nephews and several bonus family members; Brothers: Thomas Eugene (Lois) Williams, Jack (Cynthia) Hatchett, Rev. Leroy (Veatrice) Hatchett; Sisters: Shirley McCutcheon, Brenda (Harry) Ingles; Uncle John L. Bell and Aunt Dorothy Bell Haley. As Lorene entered eternal rest, God sent her most recent great-great granddaughter (#22), Kalani Jream Hall, who was born on March 11, 2025.