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Melody Anne (Michael) Fortune of Newport departed this life to the arms of Jesus on December 26, 2021 at St. Bernard’s Hospital at the age of 69. She was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, daughter of Edward J. Michael, Jr. and Anne (Allbright) Michael.
Melody graduated from Newport High School in 1971, where she was involved in the Latin and Drama Clubs. She attended and graduated from Miss Melton’s School of Business in Jonesboro, Arkansas, where she was first in her class. She worked as a legal secretary and for the Social Security Administration until she returned to Newport with her husband Michael (Mike) Fortune. Melody served as president of the Castleberry Elementary School PTA, was a cub scout leader and Greyhound Football supporter. She was a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church where she served several terms as the secretary of the Episcopal Church Women (ECW) and as the chair of publicity for over 20 years for the Church Bizarre and Food Fair. She loved being a mom to her son Tony and his friends, fishing, golf, geography, reading, and making pecan pies for the holidays. She was a wonderful, loving mom, Granny, wife, daughter, sister, and friend.
Melody was preceded in death by her father, Edward J. Michael Jr. and her sister-in-law Karen (Fortune) Cathey.
She is survived by her mother, Anne Michael of Newport, her husband of 50 years, Michael (Mike) Fortune, their son Michael Anthony (Tony) Fortune (Lindsay Mack-Fortune), her grandsons, Owen Michael Fortune and Luke Henry Fortune, two brothers, Edward (Bubba) Michael III (Cindy) of Newport and W. Anthony Michael of Little Rock, one sister, Dr. Deanna Michael of St. Petersburg, FL, brother-in-law Albert (Junior) Cathey Jr. of Newport, nephews, Jason Cathey (Brindy) of Little Rock, Edward (Joseph) Michael IV of Monroe, LA, Raeanna Cordell (Jesse) of Newport, Shane Cathey of Little Rock, Harvey Mack (Andrea) of Midlothian, Texas, and Madelaine Wilson (Jonathan) of Bono.
Memorial visitation will be Wednesday evening, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Memorials may be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 301 Hazel Street, Newport, AR 72112.
Arrangements by Jackson’s Newport Funeral Home.