Jane Montgomery Warren

Jane Montgomery Warren, a mother, teacher, musician and lifelong Greenwood-area resident, died peacefully midmorning on October 24, 2024, at Golden Age Nursing Home.  Janie, as she was called, was born to loving parents, Jane and Gerald Montgomery, on November 30, 1940.  Family and close friends share that, as a child, she was a tomboy who loved to read, climb trees and play with her dolls and dogs. She would occasionally jump from garage roof to garage roof in the cover of night with neighboring friends.

With a genius IQ, she graduated valedictorian from Greenwood High School in 1958 and attended Millsaps College. After one year, she transferred to Ole miss to be near her future husband.   Janie graduated with distinction in 3 years with a major in English and a double minor in Biology and Music. A gentle and quiet, yet strong spirit, she married a larger-than-life personality, Hugh Warren, on September 5, 1961, and soon had four children.

The Greenwood Commonwealth announced Janie as “Mother of The Year for 2001,” stating, “She teaches children to love God and each other.” In their nomination letters, her daughters described her as having noble character and conduct and as a kind, devoted person of excellence who puts others ahead of herself. Her sons described her as selfless, patient and unconditionally loving; she made tireless efforts to rear her four children while also influencing the lives of countless other young people.

Janie applied many of these aforementioned traits as a leader of her church youth group for many years. Similarly, most of her career was devoted to teaching preschool and elementary students in public and private schools throughout Greenwood and the Mississippi Delta. She worked with respected educators like Melverta Henderson and Betty Gail Kalich.  Later in her life, she helped tutor adult students earning their GED.

Prior to teaching, she worked as a Laboratory Technician at the Greenwood Leflore Hospital. Additionally, she loved serving as a hospital volunteer and as an inpatient volunteer visitor representing her church. A talented musician, she played piano for church and school activities and encouraged others to love beautiful ecumenical music.  She attributed her love of piano, which led to 10 years of lessons, to her paternal grandmother, Mrs. Samuel Henry Montgomery (Geraldine). Geraldine often invited Janie to play for her Sunday school class and for frequent family events, which led to Janie playing at numerous community recitals and performances.

In earlier years, Janie was passionate about serving with the Greenwood Matinee Musical, the Junior Auxiliary and the charity Cotton Ball and the Southern Debutante Assembly. In her spare time, her hobbies included reading, playing the piano, needlepointing and spending time with her growing family on her long back porch and the various farmlands. When asked later in life, Janie summed up her accomplishments with the words, “Music, Medicine and Teaching.”

Janie is preceded in death by her husband, Hugh Anslum Warren III, her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Jefferson Montgomery Sr. and her brother, Gerald Jefferson Montgomery Jr.

She is survived by her sister, Joan Montgomery Johnson of Freeland, WA and four children: Deborah Jane Warren Belk and her husband, Frederick Adron Belk II of Greenwood, Hugh Wood Warren IV of Greenwood, Elizabeth Montgomery Warren Wickliffe and her husband, Scott Ervin Wickliffe of Germantown, TN, Gerald Jefferson Warren and his wife, Brady Day Warren of Greenwood.

Janie is survived by ten grandchildren: Frederick Adron Belk III and his wife, Betsy Nelson Belk, Merritt Montgomery Belk Harris and her husband, Zachary Ryan Harris, Christian Holloway Belk, Hugh Anslum Warren V and his wife, Caroline Porch Warren, William Riley Warren; Michael Adams Warren, Jane Bradford Wickliffe Green and her husband, Brantley Scott Green, Elizabeth Scott Wickliffe, Julie Day Warren and Neva Kathryn Warren and five great-grandchildren: Jane Lamar Belk (Janie), Charlotte Gail Belk, Frederick Adron Belk IV (Beau), Cooper Clark Belk, Henry Anslum Warren and one expected in early 2025.

She also leaves behind sisters-in-law, Susan Williford Montgomery of Greenwood and Emily Warren Pratt of Chapel Hill, NC, along with a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends.

Janie’s wish for her legacy was that her family “would contribute to the world and not just receive … to work at something you like, preferably, … and to love God and love your family and to love others as yourself.”

The family of Janie Warren would like to express great gratitude to the staff at Golden Age Nursing Home for their wonderful care and to express thanks to the members of the Episcopal Church of the Nativity for their continued outpouring of Christian love.

The funeral service will be held at 10:00 am on Thursday, October 31, 2024 (All Saints Eve) at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity in Greenwood. The service will be livestreamed, followed by an Inturnment in the church columbarium and by a Visitation at the church.

In lieu of flowers and food, the family requests that Memorials be made to the Episcopal Church of the Nativity.

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