John Benjamin Fordham, III

John Benjamin Fordham III died on November 22, 2025, after a long illness. Mr. Fordham grew up on his family's dairy farm north of Dublin on Highway 441. That farm was part of the Poplar Springs Church community and he was an active member in his youth. His childhood precocity and his unflagging curiosity and enthusiasm were well known among his relatives, including not just his parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles and many cousins in Laurens County, but also numerous cousins and other relatives on his mother's side in Alabama.

Though he was certainly a Georgian, he was born in Alabama during World War II while his father served in the U.S. Army in Europe. Encouraged by his mother, an accomplished pianist, he developed an early interest in classical music, including opera. He sang well, and even thought he might become an opera singer. He was a multifaceted student at Dublin High School, well liked by his fellow students and by his teachers, excelling especially in music and academics. After graduating from the University of Georgia, he relocated to New York City where he resided most of his adult life. He pursued a number of career choices, but settled on the area of finance and investments. Upon retirement, he returned to Dublin, reestablished residence there and continued to enjoy his love of travel, taking trips to explore such places as Sao Paolo in Brazil and Bogota, Colombia, in addition to assorted places of interest in the Far East.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John B. Fordham, Jr., and Rebecca Jones Fordham. He is survived by two brothers, Malcolm Fordham of Pennsylvania and Stephen Fordham of South Carolina and sisters-in-law, Cynthia Fordham and Jane Fordham.

During his final months as his illness worsened, he relied with enormous gratitude upon his caretakers, Natalie Gooch and Cynthia Brown, who often were attentive and helpful beyond the call of duty. 

Services will be held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, November 30, 2025, in the Mary Whitaker Townsend Memorial Chapel at Townsend Brothers Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Dublin Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends from 1:00 PM until service hour on Sunday at the funeral home.

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