Forest A. Simpson

CLAREMONT and LEBANON — Forest A. Simpson, 94 of Lebanon passed away on Oct. 15, 2018 to join his wife Joan of 64 years, who predeceased him on April 7, 2017. He died at home after a battle with melanoma.

He was born in Amsden, Vermont on Aug. 28, 1924. He was the third child of George Alexander Simpson Sr. and Lena (Tenney) Simpson.

Forest was drafted on April 19, 1943 at age 18 to serve in World War ll. He did his basic training in Miami Beach, Florida and then on to R2800 engine school in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and then onto fuel cell repair school in Augusta, Georgia and finally to 590 technical training in Gulfport, Mississippi. He served most of his time at Elmendorff Field, Fort Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. He serviced the aircraft flying in the South Pacific, and dismantled aircraft wreckage. When the war ended he returned home to Claremont in March of 1946. He remained in the Air Force reserve until September 1968 when he retired as a tech sergeant.

After the war he received is diploma from Stevens High School. He worked on Lake Sunapee at Osborne’s Marina, working on boat motors and giving guided boat tours of the lake. He later went on to work as an auto mechanic for many years at Howe Motors in Claremont. He worked for a short while at Russ Barry’s in West Claremont as an auto mechanic. In 1965 he was hired by the state of New Hampshire at the Vocational Technical College in Claremont as the building maintenance supervisor. He also taught night classes for small engine repair at the college.

On June 20, 1953 he married his soulmate Joan L Greeley. They were married at the Community Lutheran church in Enfield. They were married for 64 years. They lived for many years on Main Street in Claremont and then retired to Joan’s childhood home in Lebanon.

Forest was instrumental in starting the Prince of Peace Lutheran church in Claremont, where he was an active member for over 50 years. He served on the church council and was an usher for Sunday services.

In his early years Forest enjoyed building model airplanes and followed his dream of one day flying. He received his private pilot license in February 1948. His three children fondly remember going up for rides with their dad. He would often tell the story of him flying from Claremont to Buffalo, New York by dead reckoning, which was the use of a compass and sight to find his way.

Forest enjoyed traveling and venturing to new places. He and Joan traveled across country to California with close friends in 1957. They enjoyed many camping trips as a family when the kids were young, and together took several trips to Europe and an Alaskan cruise. They spent 12 winters in Northport, Florida and enjoyed many mystery excursions, where they would get in the car and go to wherever their journey took them.

He is predeceased by his parents George and Lena Simpson, his sister Alice Colby, sister Jenny Bushee, his brother George Jr, his brother Howard, his grandson Tyler Simpson and granddaughter Baylee Simpson Allard. He is survived by his son Jeffrey Simpson and his wife Pam of Hartford, Vermont, son Jerry Simpson and his wife Kelly of Unity, daughter Judy Simpson of Lebanon; granddaughter Amy Szmkiewicz and her husband of Bradford, granddaughter Alondra Guevara and her husband of Nashua, great granddaughter Sophia Szmkiewicz of Bradford, and great grandson Sebastián Guevara of Nashua; a niece Susan Burbank and her husband Frank of Livingston Manor, New York; nephew Dawson Colby Jr. and his wife Pam of Jerome, Michigan; nephew Ken Colby and his wife Mary Jane of Poway, California; niece Beverly Simpson of Leigh High Acres, Florida; niece Nancy Neimi and her husband Charles of Texas; a niece Audrey Forrs and her husband of Lunenberg, Massachusetts; and a sister-in-law Barbara Simpson of Lunenberg, Massachusetts.

A graveside memorial service will be held Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018 at 1 p.m. at the West Claremont Burying Ground in West Claremont. A reception will follow at the Common Man on Water Street, Claremont. Memorial donations may be made to Lake Sunapee VNA and Hospice, PO Box 2209, 107 Newport Rd, New London, NH 03257.

Arrangements are with Stringer Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 146 Broad Street, Claremont, NH 03743. To view an online memorial or send a private message of condolence, visit www.stringerfh.com.