In 1960 Joe Fortune, Ed Carr, and Bob Rainey became very close friends when they were students at Georgia State University.  All three were members of the military fraternity, Pershing Rifles.  They excelled in the art of military drill.  They marched in parades, attended fraternity parties and Field Training Exercises... … FTX.  Ed and Joe once rode together to Donaldson Air Force base to attend a regional drill meet.

Daily, after attending classes, all three worked at The Trust Company of Georgia from 3 PM to 11 PM in the Transit department.

Joe, Bob, and Ed would get together at the Carr’s apartment and play penny poker, while Gail, Dell, and Penny enjoyed each other’s company and had a great time getting to know each other.

When Penny and Ed were married in 1961, Joe and Bob attended in uniform and participated in a military Sabre Arch as Penny and Ed exited the church.  When Gail and Joe were married, Penny and Ed went looking for their honeymoon location, but went to the wrong place.  Gail and Joe had gone to Gainesville, Georgia, but Penny and Ed went to Vogle State Park.  It was a long ride back home for Penny and Ed in the dark.

Upon graduation Joe went to work for Coca-Cola, Bob to International Harvester and Ed to Owens ILLoins.  All worked for these companies for over 25 years, but kept in touch with each other.

Gail loved taking care of her antiques, she planted beautiful plants in her yard, both front and back, she enjoyed caring for them and was a great cook.  Her grandchildren were always in her thoughts and she saw the best and good in each one.  After her daughter Mary Joe’s strategic death, Gail spent as much time as possible with Mary Joe’s son, Foster and recently in the mist of her illness had begun the process of moving to Blairsville, Ga. to be closer to Foster.

Joe and Gail visited Penny and Ed at our home in Miami, Fl.  Penny and Ed visited Bob and Dell at their home in Brandon, Fl.  The three families visited each other in Charleston in the 1990’s at Joe and Gail’s home.  Penny and Ed visit Dell often at her home near Tampa, Fl. And always discussed Gail.  Ed was a Pall bearer at Bob’s funeral service.  Penny and Ed visited Gail and Joe several times in Dawsonville, Georgia where Gail prepared delicious food for us.  We always had a great time with each other.