Obituary of Virginia C. Fortin

Virginia O'Brien Fortin, age 87, of Shelton, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at her home with her loving family by her side. She was the beloved wife of 54 years to the late Denis Fortin. Born in New Haven on September 8, 1935, she was the daughter of the late John Joseph O'Brien and Virginia (Phelps) O'Brien.

Virginia was an avid benefactor to St. Vincent's Hospital and spearheaded many projects and programs throughout her tenure. Along with her husband she served on the board at both St. Vincent's Hospital and Swim Across the Sound. An advocate for nursing, Virginia started the Virginia O'Brien Fortin Scholarship which gave many individuals the opportunity to attend nursing school. At the hospital she built the Virginia O'Brien Fortin Chapel in memory of her mother, in addition to the countless hours she volunteered at the hospital gift shop, as a Eucharistic Minister, as the receptionist at the front desk or in any other capacity they needed her at. Her generosity didn't end at the hospital, she also had a playground built at Helen Keller School in Easton. Before moving to Shelton, Virginia was a longtime parishioner of Notre Dame of Easton Church, where she instilled the importance of faith and religion in her family. She was a proponent of hard work and education, and was the benefactor to the Fortin Family Foundation. She was truly a humanitarian and devoted to helping others in need. She was the greatest cheerleader at all of her children and grandchildren's sporting events. Virginia's strength and love was the glue that kept this strong family bond.

She is survived by her four loving children, Beth Fortin and her partner Bruce Amster, Janine Sadoski and her husband Mitchell, Michael Fortin and his partner, Victoria DiMatteo and Wayne Fortin and his wife Dilcia; 10 cherished grandchildren, Catherine, Thomas, Kevin, Dean, Lily, Catherine, Jack, Luke, Matthew, and Ryan and one adored great grandson Sawyer as well as brother-in-law, Les Fortin, sister-in-law, Juliet Domack and several nieces and nephews.

All are invited to meet on Thursday, April 27, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. directly in St. Lawrence Church, 505 Shelton Ave, Shelton for a Mass of Christian Burial. Interment will follow in Huntington Lawn Cemetery East, Shelton. Friends may greet the family on Wednesday from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Road, Trumbull.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Breast Cancer Research Foundation 28 West 44th Street, Suite 609, New York, NY 10036. To leave an online condolence, visit us at www.abriola.com.