Obituary of Bennie Lou Fort

Bennie Lou Fort August 13, 1930 - December 12, 2013 Graveside services for Bennie Lou Fort, 83, of Lovington, NM will be held on Sunday, December 15, 2013 at 3:00 pm at Antioch Cemetery with Bro. Ron Ragland officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Kirby-Smith-Rogers Funeral Home. Bennie was born on August 13, 1930 in Hollis, Oklahoma to Ben and Gladys (Binkley) Lance and passed away on December 12, 2013 at Lovington Good Samaritan Center. She married William H. Fort Jr., called “JR.”, on December 30, 1950 in Lovington. She was a faithful wife, devoted mother, Susie Homemaker, doting grandmother and great-grandmother and she cooked a mean apple cobbler and pretty tasty batch of peanut brittle. She helped “JR” chase kids all around the Southwest for over a decade going to rodeos. She worked at Turner’s Dept. store helping us all look pretty in the early 60’s and again in the late 70’s and taught “JR” how to arrange flowers at Johnny’s Floral in the mid-late 60’s and to run an insurance agency in Plains, TX for awhile in the 1977-82 era to get Walter Ben through High school. When she wasn’t attending her sorority and being elected Valentine sweetheart she was drinking many, many cups of coffee with Dorothy Skalenda as they solved the world’s problems and tag-teamed raising each other’s kids. She wielded the “ Paddly Whack” paddle throughout the kingdom, dispensing justice to all in need and young and old would feel the wrath, although grandkids and great-grandkids were immune to this punishment. They would receive extra helpings of mashed potatoes and gravy instead….. Her most common phrase that she used was “Well Junior…..! usually with her hands on her hips. She was a long-time member of Trinity Baptist Church and enjoyed the church activities and liked to party at the church socials. All of the congregation was her family too. At the end of her life, the staff at Good Sam were adopted into her extended family and they loved her unconditionally. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband “JR”. Surviving her are her three sons: Max and wife Gina Fort of Lovington; Bill and wife Jean Ann Fort of Alpine, TX and Ben and wife Debbie Fort of Happy, TX; one daughter: Belinda and husband Bobby Eads of Qatar, Africa; two sisters: Verna Mae Fort of Kemp, Washington and Carolyn and husband Kenny Nall of Colorado Springs, Colorado; thirteen grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren and also numerous nieces, nephews and a host of friends. Memorials may be made to the Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame, 5317 N. Lovington Hwy, Hobbs, NM 88240 or to Lea County Museum, 103 South Love, Lovington, NM 88260 or to the charity of your choice.