James Erwin Fort

JAMES "Jim" ERWIN FORT, 60, of Memphis, died November 16, 2006 after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Mr. Fort was the son of John L. and Sue Erwin Fort, deceased. He was the great-great great-grandson of Gen. James Winchester, one of the founding fathers of Memphis. He leaves his wife of 33 years, Geneva L. Fort; his daughter, Kimberly Fort Shepherd and her husband Michael L. Shepherd of Germantown; his son, John L. Fort II and his wife, Kym Parker Fort; his grandson, James Parker Fort of Evansville, IN. He also leaves a brother, John T. Fort and wife, Shelia, of North Plainfield, NJ; two nieces, Kelly Gengoult and Deanna Hilts, and their families of New Jersey; two nephews, Robert James (Bobby) Fort and family of Pascagoula, MS, and David John Fort of Detroit, MI. An aunt Geraldine Winstead, of Springfield, MO; two cousins, Jeri Ann Jones and family of Lebanon, MO and L.W. (Barney) Barnhart and family of Cordova. He also leaves his sister-in-law, Linda Lewis of Hughes, AR; two nieces Laura May and Molly Posey and families of Germantown, TN. He also leaves many other extended family and friends, whom he cared for. Mr. Fort was born in Memphis, TN, but graduated from Plainfield High School in New Jersey. He graduated from Maryville College, in Maryville, TN. He was a Vietnam Veteran. He worked for Caterpillar Tractor Co., but he retired from the US Postal Service after 18 years. Mr. Fort was a life long Methodist and an active member of Capleville United Methodist Church where he was a member of the Seekers Class and the Men's Club. He was an avid sports fan especially the University of Memphis Tigers. He was also a member of "Historic Crag Font Inc.", ancestral home of the Winchesters. Visitation will be held Tuesday evening, November 21, at Memorial Park Funeral Home, Poplar Ave., from 5:30-8 p.m. Visitation and lunch will be Wednesday, November 22, from 12-1 p.m. at the Capleville United Methodist Church in the Great Hall, located at Riverdale and Shelby Dr. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the church with interment to follow in Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Capleville United Methodist Church, American Cancer Society, or the American Heart Association. Memorial Park Funeral Home 901-767-8930