Janie Davis Ward

Janie Davis Ward, 79, a resident of Luverne, Alabama, passed away peacefully at Andalusia Manor on Monday, July 8th, 2024. Funeral services for Janie will be held at 11 AM on Tuesday, July 16th, from the Chapel of Turners Funeral Home with Brother Dale Simmons officiating. She will then be laid to rest in Providence Cemetery with Turners Funeral Home of Luverne directing. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday for one hour prior to the service.

There's no better way to describe Janie than that she was a character on the world's stage! She was truly a born entertainer so you were never not going to have a good time when she was around. She could be Scarlett O'Hara or the Joker, it just depended on what mood she was in, but she was never going to fail to entertain everyone she was around. In fact, one of her favorite parts of being a travel agent was booking bus tours where she appointed herself the tour director so she could ride along with her customers, leaving them with a host of hilarious memories. I'm not sure she ever said no to a party and, whether as a host or guest, the world was her oyster. Holidays with Janie were always the best as well. She might be a witch for Halloween and Santa for Christmas, but her doors were going to be thrown open for those she knew and loved. She was also enormously generous with everyone. She rarely arrived for a visit without a gift, no matter how random or unique it was, and she had a habit of giving away about as much as she sold through her stores over the years.

Janie was the kind of free spirit who loved traveling wherever the impulse took her, and as an avid reader, she could continue to travel in her mind even when she wasn't doing so physically. She was most definitely an extrovert and usually fit the stereotype to perfection, but there was also a genuine love of people and generosity of spirit that endeared her to nearly everyone who knew her. Authenticity is a rare commodity but Janie had it in spades. She was never fake nor put on airs, she was just who she was and made no apologies for it. That is a remarkable quality to have these days and it made her unforgettable to all those fortunate enough to know her....and stay on her good side! Janie lived an incredible life full of ups, downs, and incredible experiences, but there was nothing she loved more than being "Nannie" to her beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She cherished every single moment she was able to spend with them and all the things she could do for them. More than material things, her grandchildren knew they always had her love and support over the years and that leaves behind a treasure trove of memories for them to hold close for many more years to come.

Janie was preceded in death by her husband, Edward A. "Butch" Ward, and parents, Joe D. & Lois Layton Davis. She is survived by children, Cricket (Danny) Mount, Joey (Susan) Carpenter, James (Val) Ward, and Tim (Traci) Ward; grandchildren, Jon Jon (Brittney) Mount, Caitlin (Christopher) Hilburn, Zoey Carpenter, Mattie White, Mary Cochran Ward, Jack White, Abbie White, Noah Ward, Brittney (Blake) Van Winkle, Alaina Ward, Madison Moye, and Brooklyn Ward; great-grandchildren, Colter Mount, Fielder Mount, John-Henry Hilburn, Natalee Jane Hilburn, and John Allen Hilburn; sister, Retha (Barney) Hand; niece, Celes Hand; and numerous other extended family members and friends.

Active pallbearers will be Christopher Hilburn, Leonard Wright, Kenny Davis, Tim Ward, James Ward, and Bubba Bozeman. Her dear friend, Guy Simmons, will serve as an honorary pallbearer.