Jennie M. Fortes, 71, Was Wampanoag Tribal Elder

Jennie M. Fortes died Tuesday morning, Oct. 1, at her home in Vineyard Haven. She was the wife of the late John Antone Fortes. Mrs. Fortes was born Oct. 8, 1930 in Oak Bluffs to the late John and Julia (Manning) Andrade.

Mrs. Fortes was a bookkeeper for the Martha's Vineyard National Bank for over 41 years. She was a clerk at Nature Knits and was also an administrative assistant for the Oak Bluffs Council on Aging since 1991. She was an avid antique collector. She was member of St Augustine's Parish in Vineyard Haven and a tribal elder of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah).

She is survived by her two sons, Douglas Fortes of Aquinnah and Alan Fortes of Vineyard Haven; two daughters, Andrea Winfrey of Chicago, Ill., and Elaine Ramsey of Sharon; eight grandchildren, Kevin J. Campbell, Jordan W. Campbell, Alan P. Fortes, Alyse M. Fortes, Janelle Fortes, Leah Fortes, Olivia Ramsey and Amanda Ramsey, and a sister, Esther Chandler of Randolph.

Her funeral mass will be celebrated in St. Augustine's Church, Vineyard Haven at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5. Interment will follow at the Oak Grove Cemetery in Tisbury. Visiting hours are in the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home in Oak Bluffs on Friday, Oct. 4, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Donations may be made in her memory to the charity of one's choice.