Obituary of Donna Fortroy

Donna Fortroy (born Geraldine Donna Fort), 77, of Duluth, MN passed away on July 22, 2023. She was born on June 30, 1946, to Geraldine and Leonard Fort of Brainerd. She grew up in Crosby, Hibbing, and Aurora and graduated from Aurora High School in 1964. Immediately after high school, she joined the Air Force. Following basic training in Texas, she was stationed in California, and assigned the role of a Medical Lab Specialist. After her time in the military, Donna gave birth to four children: Mikal, Mitchal, Mandy and Marcus. She reconnected with John Roy in 1987 and they were married soon after, merging their last names to create Fortroy.

Donna graduated from the College of St. Scholastica with a BA in Family and Consumer Science. She and John have spent nearly 36 happy years together in Duluth. Donna had a kind, generous spirit and an enormous capacity to love. Her wit was sharp and her comebacks quick. She was a life-long believer in making best life possible, regardless of origin, background, or orientation. For her, that was surrounded by family in Minnesota. She enjoyed hosting dinner parties and treating her family and friends to her unbelievable cooking and baking delights. She loved murder mysteries, black and white films, Motown, Christmas, birthdays, gardening, camping, the Minnesota Vikings, flamingos, teal-hot pink-purple things, Victorian décor, and a good garage sale. If she splurged on herself, she could usually be found at a casino, enjoying the amenities and playing the machines she identified as the good ones. A dedicated Veteran, she was active in the community and often planted red, white, and blue flowers in the gardens of the guest houses of the Minneapolis VA Hospital. She really had a green thumb, and her abundant garden still has hostas that were transplanted from her great-great grandmother’s home. She was unsurpassed in her ability to make those in her presence feel special- holidays, birthdays, and any celebrations with her were over-the-top, filled with activities, dripping with decorations, courses of decadent foods, and meticulously sourced and packaged gifts - as though we were part of one of her favorite old-time movies. Family was her world and besides her children, her husband John was the center of that world. Their love for each other is timeless and pure, the two were thick as thieves and absolutely inseparable. He cherished, protected, and cared for her with his whole heart. She will be deeply missed by those who loved her. We are grateful to have been loved by her and to have loved her back.

Donna was preceded in death by her parents, Geraldine and Leonard, her sister, Carolyn, and her son, Mikal.

She is survived by her husband John, her children, Mitchal, Mandy, and Marcus, stepson Shane, her sister, Karen, her brother, David, and many grandchildren. In honor of Donna’s wishes, at her request, there will be no wake, memorial, or funeral. As strong, unselfish, and loving as she was, she wished for each of us to celebrate her in our own way and to be remembered as she was; a loving wife and mother, and a dear friend.

Burial will be at Forest Hill Cemetery.