Janese W. Engram

Janese (Williamson) Engram was born on May 20, 1945, in Montgomery, AL. She moved to Akron, OH with her family in the early 1950’s. She was the fourth child, and the eldest daughter, of seven children. She is a graduate of John R. Buchtel Sr. High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Akron and was certified to teach grades K-8.

Janese is a member of Prince of Peace Baptist Church. She joined the church as a youth and later brought her mother, Callie Flint, who also joined the church along with her three younger daughters, Sandra, Bernadette and Sylvia.

Janese married Roosevelt Engram at Prince of Peace on October 5, 1968. Over the years she served in many capacities including chairing event committees that produced fashion shows and luncheons, as well as assisting her mother in preparing and serving banquet style dinners after select services or special events. Once the King holiday was established, Janese also began creating annual displays in the fellowship hall that highlighted the activism and legacy of the late Reverand Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She would expand those displays in February to feature the many other notable figures during Black History Month.

Janese, or as her students called her “Mrs. Engram”, worked for Akron Public Schools for 29 years. In October 1973, she began working at the Conrad Ott Building before transitioning into her teaching career in 1975. Janese worked at Margaret Park Elementary School as a reading specialist until she retired in June 2002. She loved “her kids” and was inspired by the challenge in finding ways to both ignite their passion for reading and teaching each of them to read and comprehend. She worked intently with small groups of students, specifically those who were not reading at grade level, and helped them become fluent readers.

Janese was a member of the Akron NAACP and the Akron Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. She loved teaching, gardening, crafts, spending time with family and good food. She showed her love by sharing all of these things with others. She was a thoughtful and generous giver.

Janese is preceded in death, by her parents Callie Flint and Jesse J. Willamson, Sr.; stepfather Robert Flint; her brothers, Jesse J. (Carolyn) Williamson, Jr., Frank J. (Linda) Williamson, CurtisWilliamson, Sr.; sisters, Sandra Caine, Bernadette Williamson and Sylvia R. Flint; her son Roosevelt Engram, Jr. and her only fur baby Muffin Rosarie Engram, affectionately known as Rosie.

She leaves to cherish her memory husband Deacon Roosevelt Engram, Sr., daughter Diettra R. Engram, stepdaughter Marna L. Engram; special nieces LaNell (John) Brantley; Tavia (Eric) Bodiford; special cousin Deborah Manning (Warren, MI) sisters-in-law Shirley Keaton, Wille Mae Williamson, Rose Bowen, Hazel Clayton; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, friends and loved ones.