William D. "Bill" Forbes 1920- 2002

FORBES, STANCIL, ERLEMEIER

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 7/11/2013 at 16:27:50

Sioux City Journal
21 December 2002

DANBURY, Iowa — William D. "Bill" Forbes, 82, of Danbury died Thursday, Dec. 19, 2002, at Willow Dale Nursing Home in Battle Creek, Iowa. Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Danbury, with the Rev. William Schreiber officiating. Burial will be in Danbury Catholic Cemetery, with military rites conducted by American Legion Carlsen-Frum Post 336 of Danbury. Visitation will be after 4 p.m. Sunday, with a vigil wake service at 8 p.m., at the church. Visitation will resume 9 a.m. until service time Monday at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Armstrong Funeral Home of Danbury and Mapleton, Iowa.

William David "Bill" Forbes was born May 16, 1920 in Wilson County, N.C., the son of Paul and Effie (Stancil) Forbes. He attended school in North Carolina.

On Oct. 28, 1939, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served in the European Theater of Operation for 33 months in World War II achieving the rank of first sergeant. He was honorably discharged in November 1945. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal. In 1948, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps, achieving the rank of master sergeant. He had an active part setting up the Strategic Air Command (SAC) with Gen. Curtis LeMay at Offitt Air Force Base in Omaha. In October 1953, he was honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force.

On Sept. 12, 1950, he was married to Virginia Erlemeier at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Danbury. After his discharge, they farmed in the Danbury and Mapleton areas for 35 years, retiring in 1988. They moved into Danbury in August 1988. He then drove bus for the Maple Valley School District and Siouxland Regional Transportation System. His beloved wife, Virginia, died March 25, 1995. He was residing at Willow Dale Care Center in Battle Creek at the time of his death.
He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church. He thoroughly enjoy dancing, golfing, fishing, playing cards and spending time with all his family, especially his grandchildren.

Survivors include four sons and six daughters, David and his wife, Donna of Ida Grove, Iowa, and their children, Dan and his wife, Amy, and Mark and his fiancée, Amy Schultz, all of Battle Creek; Carol Forbes Doty and her children, Jesse and Daniel, all of Rogersville, Tenn.; Sharon and her husband, Michael Schrunk and their children, Nicholas, Caedryn, Erin and Gineal, all of Spirit Lake, Iowa; Alan of Marquette, Neb., and his daughter, Shawna and her husband, Aaron Johnson and their sons, Tyler and Connor, all of Omaha; Jane and her husband, Rod Wonder of Danbury and their children, Greg of Mapleton and Andrea of Denison, Iowa; Glen and his wife, Karen of Loveland, Colo.; Kevin of Ralston, Neb., and his children, Thomas and his wife, Jessica of Danbury, and Corey of Omaha; Mary and her husband, Scott Shipley and their children, Samantha and Alex of Phoenix, Ariz.; Christy and her husband, Darrel Jorgensen and her children, Katie, Brian, Andrew and Max of Loveland, Colo.; and Linda of Chicago, Ill.

He also is survived by two sisters, Eugena Bass of Moncks Corner, S.C., and Katie Wilkens of Lucama, N.C.; many nieces and nephews; and a good friend, Marilyn Nailor of Battle Creek.

Along, with his wife, he was preceded in death by an infant daughter; his grandsons Brian Forbes; his parents, Paul and Effie; his brothers, Paul Arthur and Thomas; his sisters, Pauline and Thelma; and his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Charles and Cornelia Erlemeier.