Mike Fortner, co-owner of Springfield’s iconic summer treat company Pineapple Whip Inc., died Nov. 15 from complications with mantle cell lymphoma. He was 61.
Fortner, who ran the company with his brother Chris, was diagnosed with cancer 11 years ago. A visitation was scheduled yesterday, followed by a service and internment this morning, according to his obituary at
GreenlawnFuneralHome.com.
Known by its hula girl mascot Lulu, Pineapple Whip traces its roots to the mid-1970s when Fortner’s father, Dan, sold the pineapple-flavored frozen treat at the Greene County Fairgrounds. Mike and Chris Fortner organized the Pineapple Whip brand in 1987, according to
Springfield Business Journal archives.
In addition to selling treats at the Ozark Empire Fair, Pineapple Whip runs three stands April through mid-September, plus occasional traveling jobs. The company scooped in $255,000 in 2013 revenue.
“It’s kind of a rite of passage into summer,” Mike Fortner told SBJ in July for a
business spotlight on his company. “Usually by mid-September, we’ve had enough ourselves and we’re ready to goof off a bit.”
A graduate of Hillcrest High School and Missouri State University - where he played football - Fortner also served two terms on the Springfield-Greene County Park Board.
He’s survived by his brother, Chris; wife, Diana; three sons, Nathan, Zach and Anthony; his parents, Dan and Lovena; his sister, Danna Grear; an aunt, Pat Sims; four grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews and cousins, according to his obituary.
A call to the Pineapple Whip office this morning to inquire about the company's ownership structure went unanswered.[[In-content Ad]]