Bert Thomas Fant died June 16, 2011 at his home in Fawn Lake, VA.
Bert was born on February 11,1939, the only child of the late Mary Annabelle Terry and Autra Gibbs Fant who both spent their remaining days living in Lake of the Woods, VA.
Bert began his life in Texarkana, TX and then moved to Jasper, TX at an early age. It was there, in East Texas, that he developed a love for fishing, hunting and the outdoors. At the age of nine, Bert moved to Chattanooga, TN where he finished Central High School at the top of his class and held the highest rank in the Jr. ROTC. He then attended the University of Tennessee, where he studied Chemical Engineering. Upon graduation he accepted an offer to work for Esso Research and Engineering in Baton Rouge, LA.
In Baton Rouge, Bert met and married Patricia (Pat) Loraine Bruchhaus in November of 1964 and began a 35 year career with Exxon that would take them around the globe. Bert and Pat lived in Louisiana, Texas, New Jersey and London, England over the span of his career. Bert's travels with Exxon created quite an impressive passport, taking him across most of Europe, into the Far East and beyond. He and Pat had quite a journey together.
After retiring from Exxon in 1995, Bert and Pat moved to Fawn Lake, VA and built their retirement home. Bert was very active in the community, played golf, fished, and, more importantly, spent quality time with his family. He also developed a passion for genealogy that ultimately reunited a Fant family that had been split apart in years past. As a result of Bert's work, reunions were planned, and scores of relatives found each other again. Bert and Pat even traveled to Ireland to trace his family history.
Bert is survived by his wife, Patricia Loraine Fant and two children, Kathryn Marie Fant and her husband, Edward Francis Vigezzi of Germantown, MD and Russell Thomas Fant and his wife, Robyn Michelle Caruthers, of Charlotte, NC. He had five grandchildren;Stephanie and Joseph Vigezzi and Tyler, Andrew and Hunter Fant.
Bert was a loving husband, a caring father and grandfather, a good friend to many, and an excellent cook. He was s southern gentleman in the truest sense. He was a man who came from very humble beginnings, ascended to enviable heights, yet remained a humble soul to the end. We should all be so fortunate to have this kind of a story.
A memorial service will be held on Monday, June 20th at 2:00pm at Laurel Hill Funeral Home in Spotsylvania. The family requests that memorials be made to Medi Home Health and Hospice, 125 Olde Greenwich Dr., Suite 150, Fredericksburg, VA 22408-4009.