Albert Jones Hart

1920 - 2014

Albert Jones Hart, veteran and captain in the U.S. Army, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2014, in the comfort of his east side home in the presence of his beloved wife, Alice Gatti Hart, and their devoted staff. Memorial service: 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015, at Meadowbrook United Methodist Church (MUMC). After the celebration of Al's life a reception will be held at the church. Memorials: Meadowbrook United Methodist Church Upward Sports, 3900 Meadowbrook St., Fort Worth, Texas 76103; Fort Worth Rotary Club East, 116 Lindenwood Drive, Fort Worth, Texas 76107; and Peter Pan's Children's Fund, P.O. Box 388, Pound Ridge, N.Y. 10576. Albert was born Sept. 30, 1920, to Warren Bryan Hart and Bertha Jones Hart in Shreveport, La. He grew up as childhood friends with Alice Louise Gatti and her seven brothers and sisters. Albert was called "Al" by his friends. In 1941 he served in World War II as a 21-year-old lieutenant in the 87th Army Corps of Engineers, who built the Alaskan Highway at the beginning of World War II and served in New Guinea until the end of the war. "Hungry," the nickname from his military service, struck throughout his life. Al founded Hart Lumber Company in Shreveport with his father, Warren Bryan Hart (deceased) and his brother, James P. Hart (deceased) after World War II and operated his own lumber treating business in Fort Worth until 1995 when he retired. In 1946 he married Alice Louise Gatti at the First Methodist Church in Shreveport. After the birth of James V. Hart "Jim" he moved his family to Jackson, Mich., for the family business where David Albert was born. Al needed new horizons. He found the booming city of Fort Worth where he moved his family in 1952. At that time Al built the family home on View Street in the east side where he lived until his passing. He was a prominent member of Meadowbrook United Methodist Church and the Eastside Rotary Club. He played on the legendary Meadowbrook fast pitch softball team and won City Championships and State Championships in the '50s and '60s. Al was also voted the most valuable player. He continued to play on the team into his 60's. Since that time Al and Alice both have been very active in the community which included the founding and support of the first Aids Outreach Center (AOC) in Fort Worth in 1991 in memory of their son, David, who died as a result of AIDS in 1988. Today AOC now serves 1,800 clients and their families per month. Al had a spontaneous sense of humor and was known for his love of dancing with Alice to "Elmer's Tune" at the Petroleum Club. As a lifetime member of Colonial Country Club he played his last round of golf there at the age of 88, where he hit a 140-yard shot on the 18th green and rolled it right into the hole! As an outdoorsman all his life, he prided himself on the training of shorthaired pointers and enjoyed a good bird hunt and early morning fishing trips. Al loved the mountains as well and frequented the slopes of Vail and Winter Park in Colorado where he skied until he was 82 with any friend or family member who was available. Al was always the first one on the mountain and the last one to leave. He taught many Fort Worth friends and family to ski. He was very passionate about the sport. Survivors: Al is survived by his wife, Alice Louise Gatti Hart; his son, James V. Hart; his daughter-in-law, Judith Nugent Hart who resides in New York City, N.Y.; his grandson, Jake V. Hart; granddaughter, Julia Hart Horowitz and husband, Jordan Horowitz; along with newest member of the family, great-grandson, Arthur Jones Horowitz, born May 29, 2014. The Horowitz family resides in Los Angeles, Calif.