Obituary of Roderick D. Fortran

Voorheesville: Rod Fortran, 65, entered into eternal rest November 6, 2017 at home after a 6 month battle with pancreatic and liver cancer.  He passed at home with his family by his side.

Rod was raised in Chenango Bridge outside Binghamton, the son of the late Fred and Betty Fortran.  Rod was a graduate of the University of Albany. He worked as an economist with the New York State Department of Labor for 37 years retiring in 2011. Rod rose through the ranks to Chief of the Bureau of Labor Market Information in the Division of Research and Statistics.  In his spare time, Rod was a devoted soccer coach of teams in Guilderland and New Scotland.  He was an officer of the New Scotland Soccer Club.  Rod was an avid fan of the game traveling to local high school and college games.   Additionally, for 27 years, Rod volunteered as a summer camp counselor at American Baptist Camps Pathfinder in Cooperstown and Camp Vick in Sandusky.  Rod also volunteered with the Volunteers in Mission (VIM) of Albany rebuilding houses in Middleburgh affected by hurricane Irene for nearly five years.  Through work and these activities, he forged many longstanding friendships. Rod and his wife vacationed in Ocean City, New Jersey yearly and loved to travel taking trips to Italy, Alaska, Germany and Ireland.

 He was a longstanding member of the Madison Avenue Baptist Church in Albany.  He attended the First United Methodist Church in Voorheesville since 2008, where he was active in the Men's Bible Study and served on various church committees.

He is is survived by his loving wife of 41 years, Julie-Ann, and his sons Bryce of Stamford, CT, Brett (Shannon) of Altamont and two adoring granddaughters Cecelia and Emerson in addition to his mother-in-law Rose Serafini and her family, who loved him as another brother. He was predeceased by his father-in-law, John Serafini. He is also survived by his brother, Randy (Paula) of Santa Fe, NM and sister Rhonda Barona of Royal Palm Beach, FL in addition to many Binghamton relatives, nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Community Cancer Foundation of New York Oncology and Hematology, 449 Route 146, Suite 101, Clifton Park, NY 12065 or the First United Methodist Church – Mission Committee, 68 Maple Ave., Voorheesville, NY 12186.

Special thanks to current and former staff of NYOH where he received excellent care.

Services will be held at St. Matthew's Church, 25 Mountainview St., Voorheesville, NY on Wednesday November 15 at 10 am. Burial will be private.