Obituary of Petrus Fortune

Petrus Gontran Fortune was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on March 30, 1936 to the late Louis E. Fortune and Lamercie Fortune (Pilet). They were “Papa LuLu” and “Mama CeCe” to all who knew and loved them. He was the second of four children: Gontran, Adeline and Berthy. Petrus was primarily known by family and friends as Pepe, and Papi by his children and grandchildren. As a child, Petrus was quiet and a bit mischievous, especially when he teamed up with his brother and partner in crime, Gontran or “GoGo,” as he is affectionately known. Petrus loved reading and listening to music. His gift for math was identified early on, when he was just a kindergartener. He was well liked and his teachers doted on him, which no doubt, gave him the confidence to excel. He had a great sense of humor, and he was a good listener who always encouraged his siblings to try, no matter how challenging a task might seem. Petrus was educated primarily in Haiti. He attended St. Louis De Gonzagues as a youngster, and earned his undergraduate degree in civil engineering from École Polytechnique D’Haiti in 1955. On March 25, 1960, he married his beautiful bride of almost 60 years, Gerty Vulcain. Petrus and Gerty moved from Haiti to New York in their twenties with toddlers Thierry and Petrus Jr. There the family would grow to include Francoise and Fernando. They raised their four children in the Bronx until they moved to Queens in 1990. Petrus was part of the exodus of the educated and intellectual class in Haiti during the Duvalier era that plagues the country today. He loved New York and his community of friends but he remained a Haitian at heart, often telling his children that he planned to retire there one day. Coming from Haiti, Petrus was not allowed to practice his vocation without additional certification, but he was not deterred. Petrus was a very hardworking and ambitious man who sold vacuums door-to-door and drove a taxi while attending New York University (NYU). He graduated in 1967 with a Masters degree in Civil Engineering and began his career as a Civil Engineer in the U.S., spending most of his career working for various New York City construction and design agencies. Starting in 1970, Petrus had a career spanning more than three decades with the City where he worked for the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of General Services (DGS), all while operating his own civil engineering firm. He would proudly take his children to visit sites of the major projects and construction sites that he designed and supervised. Petrus was also a proud and active union man as a member of DC37, which also represented New York City Design and Construction employees. In 2017, commemorating the 50th anniversary of his graduation from NYU, Petrus was inducted into the Golden Jubilee Society of the New York University Tandon School of Engineering. His work brought him great joy. After retiring from DGS in 1999, he continued consulting and design work until the week before his passing, one month shy of his 84th birthday. His strength and resilience despite his health challenges inspires us all. Petrus was once quoted as saying, “ I am where I want to be.” which so eloquently captures how he lived – always in the moment. His faith and trust in the Lord was evident and, as scripture commands in Matthew 6:34, he wasn’t one to worry about tomorrow. As family and friends will attest, he wasn’t overly concerned about punctuality either, particularly when it came to social events. He was late for Francoise’s wedding because he was determined to first attend a funeral, frustrating his only daughter but what a testament to his love and commitment to the dearly departed. Showing up for those he loved, in the best of times and the worst of times, was one of his defining characteristics. Petrus loved his work but he was no hermit. He delighted in hosting and cooking for friends and family. He enjoyed sharing new information, stories, food, wine or a new experience with anyone interested. He delighted in children having fun in his presence – the louder the better. His home was crowded, and full of laughter. Though a generally quiet man, people felt his love. Petrus was very caring, compassionate, and generous. He was an extremely gracious host who always went out of his way to make his guests feel comfortable and at home, just like a member of the family. Petrus loved the Lord and attended Mass regularly at Church Of The Incarnation. He enjoyed spending time with family, listening to opera and classical music, and, most of all, spoiling his grandchildren. Petrus was preceded in death by his granddaughter, Nadja Fortune, and his brother, Gontran Petrus Fortune. He leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Gerty Fortune (Vulcain); children, Thierry Fortune, Petrus Fortune Jr., Francoise Blanchard (Fortune) and Fernando Fortune; daughters-in-love, Karen Fortune (Singletary); Christine Fortune (Gabriel) and Ashley Lherisson (fiancée); son-in-love, Philippe Blanchard; grandchildren, Martine Fortune, Sage Fortune, Tye Fortune and Miles Blanchard; siblings, Berthy Fortune Spensley and Adeline Fortune Destouches; as well as a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and treasured friends. His was a life well lived. He will remain in our hearts forever!