Michael J. Fortier

Michael James Fortier passed away peacefully on March 29, 2022 at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. As per his wishes there will be no service. Michael James Fortier, or "Mickey" as he was commonly known, was born December 9, 1942 at Port Arthur, ON (now Thunder Bay). He was the fourth child (with eventually 13 siblings) of the late Lucien Edward Fortier (born near Lac Megantic, Quebec) and Doris Michano-Fortier (born near Longlac, ON, Long Lake band #58). Mickey was a proud band member of the Biigtigong Nishnaabeg First Nation (formerly Ojibways of Pic River First Nation) and descended from the Finlayson and Michano families at Longlac, Mobert, and Heron Bay. Mickey attended the St Joseph Indian Residential School in Fort William (Thunder Bay) and grew up with his siblings in Port Arthur, and later in Nipigon, ON. Mickey attended the George O´Neil High School in Nipigon in the late 1950´s. After high school he began his career as a carpenter. Around 1970, Mickey met his future wife, Marie Bodnarchuk, in Red Lake, ON and in 1971 they married and settled in Schreiber, ON to raise their family. Mickey adopted Marie´s son Jeff and Marie gave birth to their son Jason in 1972. In the 1980´s Mickey suffered a serious work related injury which essentially left him disabled. Despite his health issues, Mickey managed to finish out his career working at the local zinc and copper mine near Schreiber. Mickey will be remembered for his warmth and great sense of humor. He loved hockey and for a time coached his son Jeff in Schreiber. He was a life-long Montreal Canadians fan and lived in Thunder Bay during his retirement years. He looked forward to video messages from his granddaughters Samantha and Reianna, and adored his great grandson Henry. Mickey was predeceased by his younger sister Marilyn (1945), mother Doris Michano-Fortier (1964), older brothers Walter Richard (1963) and Arthur Robert "Butch", his father Lucien Edward Fortier (2007), son Jeff (2019), and sister-in-law Mary Louise Fortier (2019). Mickey is survived by his wife Marie of Schreiber, son Jason of Toronto, siblings Russell (Diane) of Emo, Ron of Thunder Bay, Joan Millman (Cliff) of Thunder Bay, Linda Aubin (Marcel Sr) of West Bank, Dennis (Tuula) of Red Rock, Janet Fortier of Kamloops, Marianne Fortier-Borg (Darren) of Thunder Bay, Cindy Ward (Jeff) and Kathy Belanger (Danny), both of Nipigon, Sandra Marshall (Gary) of Red Rock, and one aunt, Mary Michano-Lees of Marathon, sister-in-law Henriette Bigaouette-Fortier-Hinz of Carol Stream, IL, two granddaughters; Samantha Fortier-Scott and Reianna Fortier both of Vancouver, and one great grandson, the apple of his eye, Henry Scott of Vancouver, and numerous Finlayson and Michano cousins near Longlac and Heron Bay, in addition to scores of nephews and nieces in Canada and the USA.

Uncle Mickey far left with older brothers Russell and Walter circa 1960, Nipigon and Mickey during our 30 year Fortier family reunion in Nipigon in 1994.

Uncle Mickey was my godfather. So grateful for the time I spent with him during our 30 year Fortier family reunion in 1994 and since then. He would txt me every time he saw news from northern California, from the fires to the floods, just checking in to see if me and my family were doing ok. He told me a lot about my father Walter when they were kids in Port Arthur and when they went to the Indian Residential School at St Joseph in Fort William, now Thunder Bay. Uncle Mickey told me about meeting the famed Ojibway artist Norval Morrisseau at a gathering in Red Rock, ON before he got famous and how Mickey passed up the opportunity to purchase an original Morrisseau painting for mere dollars and regretted it ever since. Uncle Mickey had a great sense of humor and he just laughed it off as one of life's missed opportunities. We will miss you uncle, RIP.

James M Fortier

RIP Uncle Mickey.