Theodore Henry Fortmann, 85, left this earth peacefully, to return home on Wednesday, August 7, 2019. Ted was born in Oklahoma City, OK, on July 16, 1934 to Anton and Annisa Fortmann.
In 1955, Ted met the love of his life, Sally Scott and were married for 55 years. They later went on to start a family with the births of their children, Annisa, Scott, and Julie.
Throughout his lifetime, Ted enjoyed bicycling, photography, mountain climbing, fishing, movies, and ultimately, sailing. His time spent residing at Lake Texoma was anything but short of sailboat racing. He was a proud member of the Caney Creek Yacht Club, Lake Hefner Oklahoma City Yacht Club, and Toastmasters.
But above all his time spent on hobbies, Ted cherished his time spent with his family the most; whether that be the community of Okarche, Yukon, Surrey Hills, Kingston, or Piedmont, there was never a stranger in Ted’s life.
Ted received his degree in pharmacy in 1958, and later returned school to go on to earn his doctorate from the University of Oklahoma. He practiced family medicine for over fifty years in the state of Oklahoma.
In 1981, Ted, alongside the Oklahoma Knights of Columbus, founded the Center of Family Love in Okarche, OK. The organization brought a warm and loving environment for intellectually disabled adults. Ted’s daughter, Julie, was one among the first forty-eight residents in 1981.
He is preceded in death by his father, Anton “Tom” Fortmann; mother, Annisa (Craiker) Fortmann; wife, Sally (Scott) Fortmann; daughter, Julie Rene Fortmann.
Ted is survived by his daughter, Annisa Mueggenborg and husband, Jerry, of Yukon, OK; son, Scott Fortmann and wife, Nancy, of Okarche, OK; grandchildren, Jessica McCoullough and husband, Michael, of Yukon, OK, Josh Mueggenborg and wife, Jamie, Audrey Benge and husband, Robert, Alex Merveldt, Barbara Collins and husband, AJ, of Okarche, OK; great grandchildren, Nate, Haleigh, Remi, Olivia, Brailyn, Brynlee, Bentlee, Dabney Rose, Eva, Koda, Kade, Kaulder; and cousins, John Bumpus and Richard Craiker.
Visitation was held on Friday, August 9, 2019, from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Chapel Hill Funeral Home, 8701 N.W. Expressway, Oklahoma City, OK 73162. In honor of Ted’s life, a Mass of Christian Burial was held Saturday, August 10, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. at St. John of Nepomuk Catholic Church, 600 S. Garth Brooks Blvd., Yukon, OK 73099.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Center of Family Love, 635 W. Texas Ave., Okarche, OK 73762.
