Hector L. Fortin

He is survived by his only son, Jerry (Carolyn) Fortin of Riverton; a niece, Cheryl L. Nelson of Hammond, IN; a brother-in-law, Leslie M. Jones of Crete, IL; a niece, Leanne (Robert) Jones-Kindernay of Lemont, IL; a great-nephew, Bret Pagni of Lemont, IL; other nephews, cousins, and many close friends. He will truly be missed by his four-legged grandchild that always looks for his grandpa.

Hector, the middle son of three children was born in Harvey, IL on July 31, 1929, the son of Hector L. Fortin, Sr. and Alice M. Cusack Fortin.

He attended St. Joseph’s Grade School in Homewood, IL, graduating in 1943. Hector was then enrolled in Thornton Township High School where he graduated in 1947. After graduation, Hector spent a little more than a year doing store window design for three major locations of the now defunct Goldblatt’s department stores of Chicago.

As the economy was extremely poor due to the crash of ’39, and the fact that each 18-year-old male was chosen for selective service, no one wanted to hire him. Therefore, with his grandfather’s permission, on July 27, 1948, Hector enlisted in the United States Army. He served as a records and control clerk as well as part of the crew aboard the General A.W. Brewster, an army medical troop transport ship. He was stationed in Fort Knox, KY, San Francisco, CA, and the island of Okinawa. He had also visited ports of call in Apra Harbor, Guam, Yokohama, Japan, and Manila Harbor, Philippines. Hector mustered out on May 13, 1952, at Camp Campbell, KY.

In his civilian life, he went to work shortly after discharge at the Allied Steel Company in Harvey, IL. However, in September of 1952, he relocated to San Francisco where he worked in the customer service center of Sears Roebuck & Company. It had been four years since he had been home at Christmas. The combination of store decorations and Christmas music finally got the best of him. He packed up the Studebaker and drove back home to IL to be with his family for Christmas.

Hector began working for the IL Central Railroad on January 23, 1953, where he spent the next 33 years before retiring on May 6, 1986. He belonged to the Illinois Central Service Club and the Illinois Central Mainline Choraliers that made frequent public radio and television appearances. During this same time, he also held down numerous part-time jobs on the evenings and weekends so that his wife and son would have those extra “special things” that a full-time job did not allow for.

Since retiring, Hector spent most of his free time working part-time in a jewelry store, as well as shopping and traveling with his wife, Noel Mary. After her passing in December of 1991, he remained in the south suburbs of Chicago. In September of 1995, Hector began a new life with a new home in Springfield, IL. He and Checkers lived there for 9 happy years. In 2006, Hector no longer wanted to live alone and made Riverton his new residence with his son Jerry and his wife, Carolyn.

Hector devoted his free time to the development of children’s minds, often spending four days or more a week, tutoring children as a foster grandparent. He received the “Foster Grandparent of the Year” award at a surprise special tea.

Hector was a member of St. James Catholic Church in Riverton, a member of the Riverton Knights of Columbus and the St. James Church choir. He enjoyed being at Starbucks and fine restaurants with close, dear friends.

He was also preceded in death by his wife’s parents, Ed and Mary Stocks; sister-in-law, Joan Jones; his parents; older sister, Alice Lorraine; younger sister, Jeannine Marie; and infant baby brother.

Visitation: Visitation is for immediate family only and will take place on November 23, 2020.

Funeral Mass will be held at St. James Catholic Church, 112 N. 6th St., Riverton, IL on November 24, 2020, with Rev. Raphael Paul DeMoreno, celebrant.

Burial will be held at Oakland Memory Lanes Cemetery in Dolton, IL on November 25, 2020.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 7023, Merrifield, VA 22216, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or Laketown Animal Hospital, 1115 Stevenson Drive, Springfield, IL 62703.

The family is being served by Butler Funeral Home—Springfield, 900 S. 6th St., Springfield, IL.