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George Francis Fortier
Jody Hane2021-04-02T18:49:37-05:00
- Name: George Francis Fortier
- Location of Birth: Elkhart, Indiana
- Date of Birth: May 28, 1930
- Date of Death: July 7, 2010 (80 years old)
- Parents: Earl Fortier and Gladys (Pennington) Fortier
- High School and Class: 1948 - Elkhart High School, Elkhart, Indiana
- College:
- Highest Rank: Radioman
- Branch: Army
- Other Branch: United States Army Air Corps
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George served in the United States Army Air Corps as a radioman following World War II.
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George was united in marriage to Audrey Adams on August 31, 1951 in Elkhart, Indiana.
They had two children, Bob and Jacques.
His love of the woods, hunting and trapping brought him to northern Minnesota, initially at Wolf Lake north of Nashwauk, Minnesota.
George worked for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and was also stationed at Ash River in northwest St. Louis County in Minnesota from 1964-1967 and in Big Falls, Minnesota from 1967 to 1973.
George and Audrey moved to Alaska at that time where he worked for the Alaska Department of Natural Resources for the next eight years.
They moved back to northern Minnesota in 1981, settling in Wirt, Minnesota. He was a Wirt Township officer for many years and vice-president of the Minnesota Trappers Association. He wrote a regular column "By George" for the Minnesota Trappers Association newsletter. He particularly enjoyed teaching about trapping and was a certified instructor. Highlights in his trapping career were hosting the National Trappers Association convention in Rochester, Minnesota and being inducted into the Minnesota Trappers Association Hall of Fame.
George's faith and family were very important to him. He was a member of the Alliance Church in Dora Lake. He led the Sunday discussion group at the Big Falls Covenant Church for seven years.
George lost his wife, Audrey, to cancer in 2000. Later, he married Irene Parker and they had seven good years together.
George was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Audrey; and sister, Pat.
He is survived by his wife, Irene; son Robert and daughter Jacques Smith; three grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; stepchildren Jan Erickson, Ron (Barb) Parker, Betty Parker, and Gwen (Rich) Lumppio; six step grandchildren; and two step great-grandchildren.
George died at Big Falls, Minnesota and is buried in Wirt Cemetery in Itasca County, Minnesota.
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