February 15, 1949 - March 18, 2001

                Richard Lee Fort died in New York on March 18, 2001, at age 52.  He resided in Spring Lake, NJ at the time of his death.  After MHS, Richard matriculated at the University of Virginia, from which he graduated in 1970 and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.  In 1977, Richard obtained a medical degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine, graduating magna cum laude.  His obituary in the Asbury Park Press, Asbury Park, NJ, March 21, 2001 described Richard as “a renowned psychiatrist whose Manasquan practice was one of the largest in the state.”  Also, he “was a fellow of the American and International Academies of Psychiatry.  [Richard] was an avid fly fisherman, fished in many exotic locations and held several world records.  He was a patron of the arts and enjoyed discovering young artists before they became well known.”

                Over the years Richard went through a number of personal difficulties, yet he remained highly regarded by his patients.  Two months following his death, the Asbury Park Press published a heartfelt tribute from one of those patients in their May 6, 2001 edition.  In part it said, “He was 100 percent behind his patients.  He was intensely focused on them and supported their endeavors and delighted in their accomplishments.  His patients felt he was genuinely interested in their lives . . .  

                “Since Dr. Fort was such a dedicated and outstanding psychiatrist, it is no wonder his practice in Manasquan was one of the largest in the state.  But most important, he was a fine human being and a nice guy.  Oh, ‘Doc’ Fort, as he liked to be called, was certainly a ‘character’ as well.  And he will be sorely missed.”