Helen L. Bottorff

Helen Louise (Fortener) Bottorff of Inverness Florida, formerly of Zanesville Indiana, born March 30, 1927. I took my maiden and only flight on angel wings on February 14, 2019. Having had the gift of a long and wonderful life, it would be a shame to pass up the opportunity to share my blessings and successes. So, pardon me for the length, but at 91, I have a lot to crow about.

My parents, Robert F. and Regina Schmitt Fortener of Ottoville, OH blessed me with a wonderful family of brothers, Eugene (Winnie) Schmitt of Spring Lake MI, Robert F. Fortener, Jr of Ottoville, OH, John (Jenny) Fortener of Southgate, MI and Richard AKA Elmer (Rosemary) Fortener of Delphos, OH and my sisters, Karen (Norm) Osting of Troy, OH and Frances AKA Frani (Roger) Wurst of Delphos, OH. My brother Robert (Bobby) was killed during WWII which made us a Gold Star family. This instilled in all of us a deep and abiding patriotism and respect for our military, which I am proud to say reverberates throughout all our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. For the past 44 years we have managed to get together for a week in June to have an annual celebration called the Fortener Family Reunion. What a great time we have had celebrating family and the love we have for each other! As brother John would often say, “God, Country, Family”. These tenets formed the foundation of how I lived my life and treated others. My faith was a living part of my being and I pray that I was a role model for others.

I was a nursing student at St Joseph’s School of Nursing in Fort Wayne when I met my lifelong love and partner, Joe S. Bottorff of Zanesville, Indiana. We eloped in 1947 because students weren’t allowed to be married at that time. As my mother told me, “Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free?”. Although I was not a bovine in any shape, manner or form, I got the message and so did Joe. Some said that our marriage wouldn’t last. When Joe passed on, after 63 years of marriage, we were still going strong. We were blessed with seven wonderful children; some more challenging than others. (You know who you are). Peter (Virginia) Bottorff of Comstock Park, MI, Margaret AKA Peg (Jack) Voght of Inverness, FL, Jane (Larry McKinley) Zingaro of Inverness, FL, Eric AKA Scott (Janiel) Bottorff, of West Jordan, UT, Gina (Jim) Platt of Inverness, FL, Thomas (Lynda) Bottorff of Indianapolis, IN and Mary (Jim) Sollberger of Fort Wayne, IN. Through them I have been blessed with 12 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren. Sorry guys but your names will have to be reserved for my book.

I had a rich and fulfilling life as a Registered Nurse. I worked as a private duty nurse and as a staff nurse at Caylor Nickel Clinic (as it was known then) in Bluffton, IN until my oldest kids started going to school in Fort Wayne. I moved on to working at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Fort Wayne where I started out as an IV specialist. At St. Joseph’s I served as Supervisor of Nursing and as Director of Critical Care. It was during my tenure in that position that St. Joseph’s opened the Burn Unit in 1975. I was also an instructor for one of the first paramedic programs in Fort Wayne. These were the most rewarding accomplishments for me professionally.

As much as I loved my work and my kids, when Joe retired, we took off to enjoy our Golden Years. What fun!!! We traveled, we went on ‘Sib trips’, we wintered in Texas for a number of years before relocating to the Tampa, FL area where we lived with our daughter, Gina and her husband Jim. We had a grand old time. We were truly blessed! Our doors were always open for friends and family. As Toby Keith would say, “Let’s have a party!”. Everybody got a hug and a kiss, no exceptions! There were no strangers in our lives. No how, no way.

If you want to say good bye you can find me at Elzey-Patterson-Rodak Home For Funerals on Old Trail Road in Fort Wayne, IN on Sunday, February 24, 2019, 2:00 to 4:00pm and 6:00 to 8:00pm with a Rosary service beginning at 6:00pm. Come say hello to my family and tell everyone what a great person I am, oops, was. I’d love that. If you’re wondering what to do instead of sending flowers, I would like to mention that the St. Therese Building Fund, 2304 Lower Huntington Rd., Ft. Wayne, IN 46819 is my first choice, but I’d also love to support Visiting Nurse, 5910 Homestead Rd., Ft. Wayne, IN and HPH Hospice, 12107 Majestic Blvd., Hudson, FL 34667.

I have been a member of St. Therese Parish since my kids were old enough for religious education. My funeral mass will be there on Monday, February 25, 2019 at 11:00 am with visitation one hour prior. My corporeal form will join Joe in Hoverstock Cemetery in Zanesville immediately after. With God’s grace my soul will already be reunited with Joe, my parents, brothers and sisters, nieces, nephews and friends who have preceded me. Not to worry, after they get their hugs, I’ll be sure to pass on all your love as well.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.elzey-patterson-rodakfuneralhome.com for the Bottorff family.