Birth date: Dec 19, 1959 Death date: Dec 17, 2022
David Edward Fortner, age 62, passed away at his Byhalia, Mississippi home on Saturday, December 17, 2022. David was born December 19th, 1959 in Memphis, Tennessee to Harold and Shirley Fortner. He suffered a traumatic brain inju Read Obituary
I was a 3 and 3 months when David was born. I was so excited to have a baby drother to play with. Lisa was 1 year and a month when he came. I remember Dad taking Mom to the hospital and saying he and Mom were going to bring our baby boy back. They did and for 6 month we were so happy. Until one day at 6 months David didn’t wake up from him nap. Dad and Mom put us all in our station wagon and drove to Dr Halfirds office. He looked a David immediately called the hospital. An ambulance wasn’t available, so he told my parents he would watch us while they drove downtown. Six months later, in late 1960, the doctors told Dad and Momthere was nothing left to do but put him in a home to protect the other children from the situation, that he wouldn’t live to 6 years. Dad told them David was our responsibility and he was going home. David became the center of our home. His bed was always in the most highly travelled part of the house. The television was always on. A record player and later a 50 CD player. He was naturally musical. Seemed to know instintively where the cording should go in any song he ever heard. By 5 Mom had already taught me how to feed David and change him and clothe him. Lisa was still to small less than 3. We went to church at the Christian Missionary Alliance. My uncle Wilbert had built the church, and all the Fortner’s attended.. each had their own row in the front of the church. Wilbert, Robert, Uncle B and Aunt Jean and the Harold Fortner’s. The adults worshipped and listened and the kids learned the proper way to behave. David was always there singing and listening and at times laughing as he heard new music he enjoyed. Being the oldest, as Dad and Mom won trips to foreign places, I world take off and stay with David. I remember taking him with me to a rehearsal at Central Church. Charles Heinz was rehearsing the ensemble for Breakfast in Gallileee we. David had never heard the music before. To keep an eye on him, I placed him on a quilt in the aisle. About 20 minutes in, Charles called a break and motioned me over. He asked if we could move David into his office? Puzzled, I asked why? Charles smiled and said David was singing so loud he couldn’t hear the other parts! As we laid him in the office, he commented that all his notes were right on key, how long he’d he been listening to the music? I told him this was the first time David had heard it. David was a gifted musician licked inside a baby’s body. Now he had his perfect body and, after years of listening to the Messiah, he sang it all the way through in Heaven this year. Only this time with words.
I can’t remember a day before David was born except in pictures. His brain hemorage at 6 months became the most overwhelming event in my 3 and a half year old life. Dad told stories how he and mom rushed Lisa, who was just over 1 years old, me and David to Dr. Halford’s office when David wouldn’t wake up after a nap. How Doctor Halford had his nurses sent the patience’s home and played and read stories to us while we waited for Aunt Eloise to pick up up. How over 6 months the doctors operated on David to no avail. And being the oldest, I learned at my mothers side how to change him and feed him. I was 4 when he came home from hospital. My baby drother was what Mom said I called him. He was the center of our family. Everything revolved around him. Getting up on Sunday we’d get dressed and get David dressed and head to the Christian Missionary Alliance Church. There was no Sunday school. Dad would take us into the sanctuary and we’d all sit together with David on Dad’s knee and Mom on one end withLisa and me in the middle. Every Sunday we were there. Dad had sung to David while in hospital. David sang the rest of his life. Loved listening to the church piano and organ. And once the service started he was singing along with everyone else. I remember one of the times I took off work to take care of David. Dad and Mom had won a trip to Mexico and I was staying at the house with him. Central Church’s ensemble was rehearsing Breakfast in Galilee. Being part of the group that also included Don and Frances Fortner, I took David with me, along with a quilt for him to lay on and his diaper bag. I payed him at the back end of an aisle so I could keep an eye on him. About 20 minutes in, Charles Heinz, the director called a break and motioned for me to come down. “Can we move David into my office” he asked. I must have looked puzzled, he went on, “David’s singing so loud I can’t hear the choir!” I said no problem, and he helped me secure him in his office. Leaving he said, “How long has he beee east n listening to the music?” I told him David had never heard it before. Charles laughed, “He was more correct than done in the group were… never missed a note or beat!” I was fortunate to spend so much time with my sweet brother. Now the angels of Heaven will get to sing along with our sweet angel beother. May God bless his every note.
