Sissy Fenoglio

1946 - 2024

Sissy Fenoglio
08/10/1946 - 10/23/2024
Nora Catherine Buford Fenoglio, affectionately known as "Sissy" passed away on October 23, 2024, after a courageous battle with ovarian cancer. She lived a vibrant and adventurous life, infusing everywhere she went with her electric presence, inspiration, beauty and style. Her stories were impossible to resist and her hospitality was impossible to exceed.
Sissy was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi and maintained close relationships with her lifelong friends there. After moving to Houston in the late 1960's, she met and married the love of her life, Bill. She and Bill were inseparable over the next 55 years, raising their family and creating a home filled with love, friends, lively gatherings, gourmet meals and rich conversations.
Sissy and Bill were also creative collaborators. Together they founded multiple businesses, designing innovative lighting and furniture product lines sold across the U.S. Their work reflected not only their entrepreneurial spirit but also allowed them to travel the globe, immersing themselves in diverse cultures and international trade markets, -experiences that fueled their passion for design.
A lifelong learner with a love for languages and culture, Sissy attended the University of Mississippi and studied at the Sorbonne in Paris. She was a member of The Church of St. John the Divine, Houston Country Club and Junior League of Houston. She also volunteered her time as a Spanish translator at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. In addition, Sissy had a profound love for animals, especially her dogs.
Sissy is preceded in death by her parents, James McDonald Buford and Vera Aldridge Buford of Jackson, Mississippi, and her sisters, Ann Buford Yelverton, Elizabeth Aldridge Buford Toler and Jane Buford McClelland.
She is survived by her husband, William Henry Fenoglio, Jr (Bill); children, William Henry Fenoglio III, Elizabeth Fenoglio Willeford and husband Blake, and John Buford Fenoglio; her grandchildren, Ellie, Anna, Billy, Nora, B.B. and extended family, Ofelia Diaz Mendez, Jessica Miranda Haryanto and husband Howard and their children Peter and Lia. Sissy is also survived by her sister, Carol Aldridge Bailey and husband Bill, her sister-in-law Sukey Fenoglio, her brother-in-law John Thomas Fenoglio and wife Sally, and 22 nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held on November 22, 2024, at 3:00 PM at The Church of St. John the Divine, 2450 River Oaks Blvd, Houston, Texas, 77019 with a reception to follow. The family gives special thanks to Dr. Michael W. Bevers and Sissy's care team at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Sissy Fenoglio to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 4486, Houston, Texas, 77210-4486. More information is available at MDANDERSON.ORG