Velma R. Fortney, 87, of Festus died May 26, 2017, at Crystal Oaks Skilled Nursing Center in Crystal City. Mrs. Fortney was a retired glassworker from PPG Industries in Crystal City and was treasurer of the PPG union hall, was a co-owner of H&R Block in Festus and owner of Entertainment Video in Festus. She was a board member of the Glassworkers Credit Union. She was a member of Sacred Heart Church in Crystal City. She was born April 9, 1930, in East Moline, Ill., the daughter of the late Allene (Guyot) and Frank DeWilde and was raised in Belgique in Perry County. She was preceded in death by her husband: James Robert Fortney.
She is survived by a daughter: Denise Jones of Crystal City; two sons: James Alan (Hyon) Fortney of Festus and Kevin (Melanie) Fortney of Richmond, Va.; three sisters: Irma Pratte of Festus, Rita (Don) Guenther of St. Louis and Marge Benhoff of St. Louis; five brothers: Albert (Margie) DeWilde of Perryville, David (Ida) DeWilde of Amesbury, Mass., Daniel (Donna) DeWilde of Waterloo, Ill., Richard (Brenda) DeWilde of Perryville and Steven (Peggy) DeWilde of Perryville; a brother-in-law: William Meyer of Springfield, Ill.; 12 grandchildren: Jamie (Gary) Stout, Laura Fortney, Nick Fortney, Dawn (Derek) Williams, Ryan Jones, Marshall (Sarah) Jones, Kyle (Autumn) Jones, Tim Jones, David (Susan) Jones, Jessica (Kerry) Hollifield, Michael (Catherine) Fortney and Melissa Fortney; and 18 great-grandchildren: Choilynn, Gary, Jamieson, Emma, Cassie, Keagan, Tyler, Bryce, Julian, Haylee, Chase, David, Andres, Camile, Koltin, Kayle, Kaeden and Henry.
She was preceded in death by two sisters: Grace Meyer and Shelby (the late Robert) Fronckiewicz, a sister-in-law: Hilda DeWilde; a son-in-law: Don Jones; and two brothers-in-law: Robert Pratte and Al Benhoff.
Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, May 30, at Vinyard Funeral Home, 616 W. Main St., in Festus. Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 31, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 555 Bailey Road, Crystal City, officiated by Father Clark Maes. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Crystal City. Memorials may be made to Sacred Heart Church. Arrangements are under the direction of Vinyard Funeral Home.