Frank and Estella (Emerson) Fortier, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of Frank and Estella (Emerson) Fortier
ESTELLA (EMERSON) AND FRANK FORTIER
Rev. and Mrs. Frank Fortier came to Hobart, Indiana the first Sun. of April 1959 to pastor the Hobart Assembly of God Church. The church had just been finished and dedicated the week before the Fortier's arrival. They resided in Hobart until March 7th 1966, their 30th wedding anniversary when they moved into a new home in South Haven where they still live.
Several years ago the mortgage was paid off on the church and plans were being made to relocate the church due to shortage of space and also parking space. On Sunday August 10th, 1975 the congregation met at the old church on 10th and State Sts. With Mayor Titus leading the caravan to the new church on Rt. 6 just west of Rt. 51.
Rev. Fortier was born in Elkhart, Indiana to a family in carnival and show business. At fourteen years of age after preparing also to go into show business he had his first visit to church and made a profession of faith and from that time on his sights were set on the ministry.
His wife, Estella was born in Burr Oak, Michigan and moved to Elkhart at the age of six. Her father was a Methodist minister.
The two met and a year and a half later were united in marriage. Along with Rev. Fortier's sister, Donna Mae (Fortier) Polachek the three formed a trio and played and sang in churches, camp meetings and revival meetings.
After ten years of marriage and no children the Fortier Family was playing in Marion, Indiana at a children's home when all three spotted a little girl who appealed to them and in less than two months they picked her up on a cold icy night, Christmas Eve to be exact and a year later adopted her legally. She was very small for her age and they thought she was about ten years old but found out later she was thirteen. She was also given music lessons and joined the family as they traveled around the country still in Evangelistic meetings.
Donna Mae had to finally drop out to take care of her baby and a year later the daughter had other interests and also dropped out. The daughter finally married and has two daughters of her own and also an adopted daughter.
Rev. and Mrs. Fortier continued to travel but finally settled down to pastor a church in Ligonier, Ind. After a while they went back on the field and then took a church in Peru, Ind.
The Hobart Church is their third church. The Fortier's have also had quite a ministry with children. They are known as "Uncle Frank and Aunt Stella". They have conducted many children's camps and also made their appearances at schools. They are very much interested in young people and are responsible for young people being in the ministry and also missionaries.
We are both happy in the work we are doing even though it involves many hours a day and have adjusted to Porter County and surrounding areas and are always eager to visit folk in hospitals and sometimes even in the jails.
In closing we might add that the life in the ministry was entered into by choice. We both held good jobs in secular work but chose to serve God whenever and wherever He could use us and the greatest reward we will ever receive will be to hear Him say, "Well done thou good and faithful servants enter into the joy of the Lord".
Submitted by Rev. and Mrs. Frank Fortier
Source: American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County. 1976. A Biographical History of Porter County, Indiana. Valparaiso, Indiana: American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County, Inc. 180 p.
Page(s) in Source: 106-107
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook