William 'Bill' C. Fort

CHISHOLM - A memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, May 21, 2007, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Chisholm with Father Jon Wild celebrating. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. on Sunday, May 20, 2007, at Rupp Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Chisholm where there will be a Knights of Columbus rosary at 8 p.m. Visitation will continue for one hour prior to the Mass at the church on Monday. Inurnment will follow in Chisholm Cemetery.

William C. Fort, age 79, of Chisholm, died Wednesday, May 16, 2007, at Fairview University Medical Center-Minneapolis after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born Oct. 8, 1927, in Crosby, Minn., to Lloyd and Edna (Stofferahn) Fort. He was a 1945 graduate of Crosby-Ironton High School. He was an Army veteran of WWII, having served in Japan during post-war occupation. He also served with the National Guard for more than 30 years.

He was united in marriage on July 15, 1949, in Crosby, Minn., to Lois L. Provost. He served as a state trooper from 1954 until his retirement as a lieutenant in 1985. He was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Chisholm and was an active member of Cursillo. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus- Chisholm Council 3539 and VFW Post No. 8510 of Hibbing.

Survivors include his wife, Lois; children, John (Louise) Fort, Hibbing, Minn., Arlene (Ron) Rider, Aitkin, Minn., Christine Christenssen, Plymouth, Minn., Kathleen (Don) Monson, Elk River, Minn., Steven (Mary) Fort, Crystal, Minn., Nadine (John Scott) Fort, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, Paul (Kathrine) Fort, South Haven, Minn., and Laurien (Scott) Pechovnik, Cedar, Minn.; grandchildren, Michele, Rachel and Eric Fort, James, Andrew and Logan Fort, Jeffrey and Jason (Susan) Fort, Rebecca (Brent) Rud and Ryan (Erin) Rider, Sarah and Lisa Christenssen and Amy (Joseph) Diaz, Billy Marie and Christina Monson, David Fort, Alex and Ian Scott, Nicolas, Zachary, Emily and Elizabeth Pechovnik; great-grandchildren, Jordan Monson, Matthew and Luke Rud, Gus and Gabe Rider, Andrew Fort; brothers, Albert (Judy) Fort, Ironton, Minn., John "Jack" (Viann) Fort, Chisago City, Minn., Floyd Fort, Ironton, Minn., and Lloyd (Karen) Fort, Minneapolis. He was preceded in death by his parents; and sisters, Verna Murray and Darlene Anderson.