Enterprise civic, volunteer leader Bea Fuentes dies after battle with cancer

“A woman who exemplified Enterprise,” is how Enterprise Mayor Kenneth Boswell described Bea Fuentes who died Monday night after a battle with cancer. “With her positive attitude, she served as an example of what we all can be.”
Fuentes moved to Enterprise nearly 50 years ago as a military wife with two children. A third child was born at Fort Rucker. Her husband retired from the military after 24 years of service and she retired from the Enterprise City School System after 24 years.
Following her retirement, Fuentes devoted her time to her church and community. She was a member of St. John's Catholic Church and was also a member of the OSCAR Club, the Wiregrass Christian Women's Club, the Pilot Club of Daleville and Enterprise Civitan Club. Fuentes served as chairman of the Alabama-West Florida Junior Civitan, president of the Coffee County Retired Educators and AARP. She also served on the board of directors for the Enterprise Chamber of Commerce, Family Services and the Wiregrass Rehabilitation Center. Fuentes served as a volunteer for the Pea River Historical Society, Dayspring Hospice and the Senior Circle office.
“Bea has been a leader in many ways for the chamber,” Enterprise Chamber of Commerce President Phil Thomas said Tuesday. “As the chairperson of the retiree committee, she organized events such as the retiree Picnic in the Park and the Retiree "Getting To Know Enterprise" Fair. “She was also the chairperson of our annual membership drive last year,” Thomas said. “If there was a job to do, we knew we could always count on Bea.”
The Enterprise Chamber of Commerce annually honors “an outstanding chamber board member for his or her ability and leadership in placing the chamber in the forefront of the community,” and Thomas said Fuentes was presented the "Leading the Charge" Award last year.
The OSCAR Club is an organization of Enterprise women who have been selected as the city’s Woman of the Year for outstanding contributions of service to their community. Fuentes was a member of that club as the 2000 Woman of the Year. “She so deserved the recognition,” longtime friend and fellow OSCAR Club member Charlene Goolsby said Tuesday. “Life to Bea was not about Bea, it was about sharing her love, her talents, her gifts to make life so much better for others,” she said. “I am a better person because Bea touched my life.” Fellow OSCAR Club member Mary Griffin agreed. “Bea was small in stature but a giant in thought, word and deed,” Griffin said. “She was a Christian first and foremost: That’s why she loved everybody.”
Retired Coffee County Extension Agent and community volunteer Dan Presley said, “Bea was always excited about helping you out any way she could. She was always excited and you could depend on her and I know she loved volunteering.”
As the Ladies Guild members from St. John’s Catholic Church gathered in the church hall Tuesday morning preparing crafts for their annual bazaar, they paused to reflect about Fuentes, who was a parishioner more than 40 years. Fuentes served on the parish council, on the church finance committee and as a eucharistic minister. She was a past president of the ladies guild and of the The Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women Dothan Deanery. “If there was a job to do, she was the first to volunteer,” said Pat Schrand. Guild President Georgia Kale said. “I do believe that when God puts people on this earth, he gives us a special job to do,” she said. “And when we’re ready, he calls us home.”
“But,” said longtime guild member, fellow parishioner and friend June Smith, “we weren’t ready to let her go.”
A Funeral Mass for Fuentes will be at St. John’s Catholic Church in Enterprise Friday, Sept. 24, at 11 a.m. Visitation is Thursday from 5 until 7 p.m. at Sorrells Funeral Home in Enterprise.