Penny Fortune

Penny Browning Fortune, 79, of Indianapolis and Boca Grande, Florida, died on Wednesday, December 8, 2021. She was born on July 7, 1942, in Evanston, Illinois, to Henry Prentice Browning and Jane Littell Browning. Her father was a banker at Continental Bank in Chicago, Worcester County National Bank in Worcester, Massachusetts, and then president of Fletcher Trust Company and the merged American Fletcher National Bank in Indianapolis. He later worked at banks on Long Island and Tampa, Florida. She attended elementary and middle school in Worcester and graduated from North Central High School in Indianapolis in 1960. She then attended Endicott Junior College in Boston (1960-62) and Butler University. After Butler, she took a position as a secretary at Chemical Bank on Wall Street. She married Russell (Jock) Fortune III on January 29, 1966, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Indianapolis.

Characterized by a sweet and caring nature, people appreciated her genuine concern for others. She enjoyed playing bridge, tennis, and paddle tennis for many years and had an interest in contemporary art, fashion, and design. She and her husband gifted the contemporary art gallery at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. Through her vision, belief in education, and commitment to providing scholarships for middle-class students attending independent schools in Indianapolis, the Russell and Penny Fortune Foundation, Inc., was established.

Penny was a member of the Junior League of Indianapolis, Christamore House Guild, Dramatic Club, Traders Point Hunt Club, and Woodstock Club, where she had served on the board of directors. She was a member of St. Francis-In-The-Fields Episcopal Church in Zionsville.

She was predeceased by her parents, brother Prentice Browning, brother-in-law Carter Fortune, and niece Deborah Fortune.

She is survived by her husband Jock Fortune; sister Nancy Browning Afield of Tampa, Florida; nephew Ted Afield, J.D. of Atlanta, Georgia; niece Browning Jeffries, J.D. of Atlanta, Georgia; sister-in-law Sheila Fortune of Boulder, Colorado; niece Sophia Fortune of Villanova, Pennsylvania; nephew Russell Carter Fortune of Freedom, Indiana; and niece Heather Fortune of Indianapolis.

A memorial reception for friends and family will be held at Woodstock Club at 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, December 18.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the IU Health Simon Cancer Center (iuhealth.org/iu-health-foundation), the Greater Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org/indiana/donate), or St. Francis-In-The-Fields Episcopal Church (stfranciszionsville.org). Arrangements have been entrusted to Crown Hill Funeral Home.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.crownhill.org for the Fortune family.