Virginia Marie (Lord) Fortier

Virginia Marie (Lord) Fortier of Wolfeboro, NH, formerly of Melrose and Andover, MA, passed away on July 13, 2024 at the age of 97, following a long and beautiful life. Known as Ginny to her friends and Gigi to her many grandchildren and great grandchildren, she was born to Alice and Harry Lord on August 17, 1926 in Medford, MA.

Ginny attended Melrose High School and graduated with the class of 1944. Following graduation, she attended the Chandler School for Women in Boston. After her graduation from Chandler she was invited to remain at the school to assist Dr. Frank Palmer Speare, the first president of Northeastern University as he wrote his memoirs. She later worked in the financial field in Boston.

In 1955 she married John Fortier of Melrose, and they spent 63 wonderful years together before “Jack”  passed away in 2018. Ginny and Jack started their family in Melrose, where Ginny was a member of Kappa Delta Psi, as well as being a Campfire Girl leader. While living in Melrose they purchased a cottage at Lake Ossipee in New Hampshire, where they and their children enjoyed many fun-filled summers. They moved from Melrose to Andover in 1971, where she worked as a realtor at Doherty Real Estate, and was active with the St. Augustine School. Her mother Alice lived with the family for a few years in Andover, where she was beloved by her grandchildren. 

After they became empty nesters, they moved to a lakeside condominium at Point Breeze on Lake Wentworth in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. Not being the retiring type, Ginny went to work for Maxfield Real Estate, where she made many sales and many friends. They also enjoyed years of warm winters with friends in Vero Beach, FL.

While living in New Hampshire, she and Jack were avid golfers. Ginny made two holes in one in her life, one at Five Chimneys (now Province Lake Golf course) and another at Kingswood Golf Club where they were both members and frequent prize winners . Ginny was also an accomplished tennis player for most of her life. Later in life, she and Jack resided at Sugar Hill Retirement Community in Wolfeboro, where Ginny made even more friends and memories.

Ginny is survived by her four children, Jane (Thomas) Howe of Atkinson, NH and Vero Beach, Fl, Paul (Cynthia) of Andover and Gloucester, MA, Carol (Jim) Davis of East Wakefield, NH, and Christine (Michael) Crittenden of Bradford, MA and East Wakefield, NH. 

She is also survived by her sister Marilyn Pyne of Florida, and her grandchildren Allyson Slater (Alex) of Newton, MA, Elizabeth Botsford (Alan) of Wellesley, MA, Jennifer (Rob) Lavallee of Bradford, MA, Michael Fortier (Colleen) of Ipswich, MA, John Davis of Medford, MA, Kathleen (Michael) Boudreau of Haverhill, MA, and Christopher Davis of Medford, MA. She is also survived by nine great grandchildren and many devoted nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the nurses and staff at Mountain View Nursing Home in Ossipee, NH for their care of Ginny in her final days. 

Funeral Services will be held on Friday, July 19, 2024 at St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Alton, NH at 10:00 a.m.

Graveside Service will take place on Saturday, October 26, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Lakeview Cemetery in Wolfeboro, NH.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Ginny’s name to the Life Ministries Food Pantry in Wolfeboro, NH at 264 South Main Street Wolfeboro, NH 03894 or Boston Children’s Hospital Cardiac Research.

Lord Funeral Home, Wolfeboro, NH is assisting the family with arrangements.  If you wish to express a condolence of leave a fond memory please visit, www.lordfuneralhome.com.

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