Mary Fortney

Mary Fortney was born on August 8, 1924. She passed away from natural causes on Sunday, January 23, 2011, at her home in Menlo Park, California. She was the daughter of Jess Port Telles, who was born in the Azores and Anna Gleason Telles, who was born in Ireland.

She grew up on a farm in Las Deltas in Fresno County, attended elementary school in Firebaugh, and graduated from Dos Palos High School. She attended University of Oregon where she graduated with a degree in Journalism. After briefly living in New Orleans and Chicago, she returned to California and worked in San Francisco as a reporter for The Daily Commercial News, billed as "the oldest business newspaper on the Pacific Coast." She later moved to Menlo Park where she worked for the Palo Alto Times, the Peninsula Tribune Times and the San Jose Mercury. Her career spanned over 50 years, working as a reporter until almost 80 years of age. In the course of her career, she covered news ranging from scientific breakthroughs at Stanford University to local political scandals. After retirement she wrote freelance articles. An intrepid traveler, throughout her life she traveled extensively to more than 40 countries.

We will miss the ever curious mind, the ever liberal spirit, the ever compassionate soul of this independent woman, well ahead of her time.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Jess and Anna Telles; her son, Christian Fortney; her sister, Francis Telles; her brother, Jess Telles; and her nephew, Jay Telles.

She is survived by her brother, Dick Telles; her nephews, Richard Telles, John Telles, and his wife Jolene, James Telles and his wife, Diane; nieces Sharon Wegis and her husband Ralph, Lisa Brozek and her husband Paul; and numerous grand nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the Shrine of St. Therese Catholic Church on Saturday, February 12, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Belmont Memorial Park.

Remembrances may be made in Mary's memory to Santa Clara University to the Jess Telles Memorial Fund, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053.