Jamaica mourns former Court of Appeal President Ian Xavier Fort at Stella Maris funeral

Mourners filled Stella Maris Roman Catholic Church for the official funeral of the Hon. Justice (Ret'd) Ian Xavier Fort, OJ, CD, KC, the distinguished jurist affectionately known as Billy, who died on 5 June 2026 at age 89.

Born on 15 November 1936 to George William and Dorothia Fort, he was the youngest of four siblings. Educated at St Augustine's Boys' School and St George's College, where he graduated at 15, he later read law at Lincoln's Inn in London before returning to serve Jamaica across more than four decades on the bench and in prosecution.

His public career traced a path from assistant crown counsel in 1963 to resident magistrate, director of public prosecutions from 1978, judge of appeal from 1988, and president of the Court of Appeal from 1989 until 1 June 2006. He was appointed King's Counsel and received the Order of Distinction, Commander Class, and the Order of Jamaica.

Tributes painted a man of quiet authority, humour, and deep faith. Childhood friend Lester Lloyd Pinock recalled meeting Fort at 13 and a friendship spanning 76 years. Kiwanis Club of North St. Andrew representative Clive Tapper spoke of Fort's decades of charity work, youth mentoring, and leadership in the service organisation. Colleagues from the Director of Public Prosecutions' office credited him with moulding Caribbean-trained prosecutors to match the standards of London-trained counsel.

Stella Maris ushers remembered Fort's more than 40 years greeting parishioners at the 9 a.m. Mass. His grandchildren Melissa, Sydney, and Dominic, reading on behalf of his children Graham, Shelanne, and Seion, described a devoted father who balanced demanding public duty with Friday outings, Sunday breakfasts, and fierce loyalty to family.

Widow Marlene Malahu Fort, KC, MP, former resident magistrate and St James West Central representative, shared memories of their quarter-century marriage and his counsel in her final months. Court of Appeal President Hon. Mrs Justice Barbara Macdonald, the first woman to lead the court, recalled Fort's humility when she met him as a law-school clerk in 1995.

Among those present were Deputy Prime Minister Dr Horace Chang, Opposition Leader Mark Golding, members of the judiciary, and diplomats. Archbishop Kenneth Richards preached on justice and mercy, noting Fort's life of service to church and country. The family proceeded to private interment after the service.