Sophia Fortner | | Date of Birth: | June 06, 1930 | | Date of Death: | August 13, 2010 | | Service Date/Time: | August 15, 2010 4:00 PM | | Service Location: | Kinards United Methodist Church | Services:
Services will be at 4 PM on Sunday at Kinards United Methodist Church with the Rev. Bobby Davis and the Rev. Danny Wiley officiating. A committal service will follow in the church cemetery. | Visitation:
The family will receive friends at the home on Sunday from 1:30 to 3:30 PM. | Obituary:
 Sophia Merchant Fortner, 80, of 2320 Highway 248 South, Ninety Six, widow of Allen P. “Tincy” Fortner, died Friday, August 13, 2010 at the Saluda Nursing Center.
Born in Saluda County, she was a daughter of the late Robert Lee and Connie Clyde Crouch Merchant. Following her marriage to Tincy on November 9, 1946, she went to work at the Ninety Six Mill, and after the birth of her three children, decided to further her education, receiving her degree in Elementary Education from Lander College. She taught at Piedmont Technical College, in the Saluda School system and for 25 years at Ninety Six Elementary School, retiring in 1990. When being honored at the time of her retirement, she commented that “every day had been like Valentine’s Day”, which was an expression of her true love for her school and all of the students that she taught through the years.
She loved her church, Kinards United Methodist Church, where she taught Sunday school and held many other positions.
Surviving are her daughter and son-in-law, Glenda and Stanley Vines; her sons and daughters-in-law, Allen and Pam Fortner, Phillip and Debbie Fortner, all of Ninety Six; sisters, Lillie M. Gunter, Connie Merchant Owings (Jerry) and Bobby Merchant Crouch (Richard), all of Saluda and Betty Jo Merchant Dorn (Gerald) of Greenwood; brothers, Thomas Ray Merchant, Clyde T. Merchant (Betty) and James Gamwell Merchant (Beth), all of Saluda; grandchildren, Brian Fortner (Lauren), Tammie Fortner Southerland (Daymon), Amy Vines Somaini (Jamie), Al Fortner (Angie), Julie Fortner Lardizabal (Eric), Jonathan and Erica Rushton; great grandchildren, Eden and Jayden Southerland, Sophia Somaini, Katie Marie Fortner and Efran Allen Lardizabal; and special caregiver, Ann Mitchell.
She was preceded in death by brothers, Johnny C. Merchant and Robert E. Merchant.
Pallbearers will be her sons, Allen and Phillip, grandsons, Al Fortner, Brian Fortner and Jonathan Rushton and son-in-law, Stanley Vines.
Honorary escort will be Hazel Brown, Grace Mitchell, Rosa Harrison, Mike Leopard, Timmy Price, Dr. Brian Ellenburg, Stevie Balchin, George McDermott and Gene Adams.
The family is at the home, 2320 Highway 248 South, Ninety Six.
It is respectfully requested that flowers be omitted and memorials made to Kinards United Methodist Church, c/o Rev. Danny Wiley, 104 Lebanon Church Road, Greenwood, SC 29646 or to Epworth Camp, PO Box 115, Greenwood, SC 29648.
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Condolences | | Post Condolence | | Gayle & Danny Ostrowksi, South Carolina | | Phillip, Allen and Glenda, We are so very sorry for the passing of your mother. She was a lovely lady. | | | | Gloria, South Carolina | | I only your mother by reputation and she must have been an extraordinary lady. She obviously loved her family and I know you are going to miss her. Know that she will live on in the lives you live everyday. Praying for all of you. | | | | Mary Ann Smith, South Carolina | | To all the family of Ms. Sophia:
I just want you to know how truly sorry I am about your great loss..She was a beautiful lady inside and out and I know you will miss her. She has left so many wonderful memories for you to cherish. Please know I am thinking about you and keeping you in my prayers and want to extend my deepest condolences to each of you. | | | | Brenda and Ed Stewart, South Carolina | | Glenda,Allen,Phillip and all other family. I am so sorry of your loss of Mrs. Sophia. She was a beautiful sweet lady. She was also such a good teacher who loved all the children. i remember as a child when she and Mr. Tince lived beside us. They were such good sweet neighbors. I know she will surely be miss by you and so many others. May god be with you and bring you comfort in the days ahead. You are in our thoughts and prayers. Brenda &Ed Stewart | | | | Angela Leopard Seymour, South Carolina | | I am so sorry for your loss. I got really close to your father and mom while they were in the NHC Greenwood. I pray that you will find strength in GOD. He is always there fir us in the time of loss. Love always Angela Leopard Seymour | | | | Nancy B. Milner, South Carolina | | Glenda, Allan, and Phillip, I was so sorry to learn of your mom's death. I enjoyed all the years we worked together. She was a kind and loving lady, and I'm sure she will be missed. You are all in my thoughts. | | | | J.W. & Becky Timms, South Carolina | | Glenda, Al, Phillip and the Fortner Family: We were sorry to learn of the passing of Mrs. Sophie. Our loss is heaven's gain. She and Mr. Tincy are again joined together and she is at peace in HIM. Mrs. Sophie was loved by so many folks. Please know you will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers in the days ahead. This has been a difficult year for each of you. We have the assurance of being united again. God Bless! | | | | Tony R. and Kathi Leopard, South Carolina | | To the entire family, we send our sympathy and prayers to you all, she was a dear lady and dedicated teacher to so many. May God be with you all in this time of loss. | | | | Richard B. Sanders, Jr., South Carolina | | Extending deepest sympathy.
Dick Sanders
(formerly of Ninety Six) | | | | Betsy Powell, South Carolina | | Betty,my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family as you go through this difficult time. Know how much you enjoyed the time spent with your sisters. May you feel God's arms around you. | | | | Cathy & Rocky Miller, South Carolina | | Dear Family:
We were so sorry to hear about your loss. She was such a beautiful lady. May you find comfort in God during this hard time.
Cathy & Rocky Miller
| | | | RONNIE TURNER, South Carolina | | FORTNER FAMILY
MAY OUR FATHER COMFORT EACH OF YOU IN YOUR LOSS. MS.SOPHIA WAS A SWEET LADY TO EACH OF HER SUDENTS AND PEOPLE IN GENERAL.
IN HIS NAME
RONNIE TURNER AND FAMILY | | | | Clem Mc Nure, South Carolina | | My codolences and prayers go out to you all. May God comfort you during this time. | | | | Keith A. Moreland, South Carolina | | Mrs. Fortner was my first grade teacher. I remember many a time walking up to the car lot as a group during class, and a lot of times getting an apple when we got there. She will always be remembered as my favorite teacher. Her and Tincy will always be missed by anyone who grew up in 96. Fortner family, just know that we love you, and we're praying for you.
May God Bless You | | | | Debra Brooks Temple, South Carolina | | Our thoughts & prayers are with you all during this sorrowful time ! May God bless each & everyone of you and guide you thru these difficult times !
| | | | Debbie H and Butch Pate, South Carolina | | Phillip, Deb, Allen, Mrs. Glenda and family,
We are sorry to hear Mrs.Fortner passed away. She was a wonderful lady. So gracious and kind. I have very fond memories of her during grammer school. Please know that you are all in our thoughts and prayers. May God bless each of you. With our deepest sympathy, Debbie Holley and Butch PT Pate. | | | | joey and pam collins, South Carolina | | fortner family our deepest sympathy and prayers go out to you during your time of loss. may god be with you during your time of sorrow . god bless . | | | | Bonita (Tollison) Guido, South Carolina | | I am saddened to hear of the loss of Mrs. Fortner. She was my first grade teacher and I will always keep fond memories of her. She made my first experience of school one that I will never forget. I trust you'll turn to God for the comfort of knowing that she is resting in His arms now. | | | | Carl Michael "Mike" Sample, Mississippi | | Sophia "Sophie" Fortner, our cousin was a very good and dear friend of our mother, Johnnie Mae Griffith Sample. We apreciated her helpfulness while my mother was living and also Sophie and family's enormous contribution to my mother's funeral service. | | |
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