DONNA C. FORTSON, 72, passed from this life early on the morning of August 5, 2014 . She was the daughter of William Carl and Corliss Jean Lewman Fortson, both of whom predeceased her. After a long and successful career in banking and finance she moved to the community service area. Donna was the Director of the First Presbyterian Church Soup Kitchen. This association in turn led her to dedicate herself to helping women and children in need in our community. She was the Founder and Executive Director of the Memphis Family Shelter. Donna received many awards and honors related to her work with the homeless. During her career, Donna was active in citywide efforts to lessen family homelessness, having served on the board of directors of the Greater Memphis Interagency for the Homeless (now Community alliance for the Homeless). She worked on the Homeless Technical Action Team for the Anchor System and in the initial development of the Continuum of Care document, and chaired the committee that created the Quality Standards of care. She participated in the development of the City of Memphis Consolidated Plan and served on the Mayor’s Task Force on Homelessness Working Group for Families with Children. Donna was named one of Fifty Women Who Made a Difference in 1998 by women’s News of the Mid-South. She was honored by President George H. W. Bush as one of a Thousand Points of Light for her service to the homeless. She received an IRIS Award in 1999. In 2004, the Greater Memphis Interagency Coalition for the Homeless awarded the Hope for the Homeless Award. Under her leadership, the City of Memphis awarded Memphis Family Shelter an Outstanding Performance Award in 2008, and the Kiwanis Club of Germantown honored her as its Layperson of the Year for 2009-10. She also received the DAR Medal of Honor for 2007-2008. Donna is survived by her brother, William Fortson and wife, Sandra of Memphis, Aunt Vicki Freutel of Memphis, and Uncle Bill Freutel of Boise, ID. Also left to mourn her are niece Allyson Paratore and husband Brad, nephews William Fortson Jr., of Memphis and Russ Fortson of Colorado Springs, CO, niece Emily Sinopoli of Biloxi, MS and nephew Chris Ramezanpour of Memphis. In addition, she leaves three great-nephews and two great-nieces. The family will received friends Sunday, August 10 at Memphis Funeral Home Poplar Chapel from 5-8 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, August 11, 2014 at Memphis Funeral Home Poplar Chapel. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be sent to First Presbyterian Church, 166 Poplar, Memphis, TN 38103.
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