Donn Forrest

DONN ALAN FORREST

Oelwein

Donn Alan Forrest, 86, passed away peacefully in the morning hours of Aug. 24, 2017.

He was born in the small town of Plymouth, Iowa, on April 5, 1931. His family later moved to Mason City, where he attended school and graduated from Mason City High School in May 1949.

Donn was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a member of the Iowa Army National Guard. He served in the Air Force during the Korean War from February 1951 to January 1955 as a statistical services supervisor with the rank of master sergeant. Before entering the Air Force, he was a member of the Iowa Army National Guard from June 1948 to February 1951. Upon his honorable discharge from the Air Force, he reenlisted in the Iowa Army National Guard, serving until his honorable discharge in July 1958.

After Donn completed service to his country, he spent many years in the railroad and trucking industry. He and his wife, Paula, owned Forrest Cartage Co. in Oelwein, Iowa, until a medical condition forced him to retire from the trucking industry.

At the age of 54, he went back to college and earned an Associate of Arts degree in paralegal studies at Kirkwood Community College. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in public administration from Upper Iowa University at age 57. Upon graduation, he worked in Des Moines on President Reagan's amnesty program. In January 1988, he was hired as the Army ROTC cadet administrator at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. In the summer of 1991, he transferred to the Army ROTC program at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, N.C. He retired from WCU in the spring of 1997. He once told his wife that his favorite job in all his years of working was with the young men and women in the ROTC program. He enjoyed guiding them through the program, and watching them earn their second lieutenant bars at graduation. It gave him so much pride knowing he had a hand in shaping their futures.

He loved the music of the 1940s and the Big Band era. Donn also loved ballroom dancing with his wife, Paula. He enjoyed fishing and hunting. Because of his love of pheasant and quail hunting, he spent 20 years breeding and raising English Springer Spaniels. He was known in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin for his wonderful hunting dogs.

Donn was a devoted husband and loving father to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His sweet, gentle soul and sense of humor will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his wife, Paula, of 65 years; his daughter, Paige-Alison Beall of Pensacola, Fla.; son, Keith Forrest of Minot, N.D.; eight grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren. He also is survived by his brother, Keith Shearer; sister, Barbara Link; half sisters, Kay Ouverson and Jeanne Skoog; half brothers, David Kentner (Judy) and Dale Skoog (Judi); and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Paul Skoog; his mother, Jean Kentner; daughter, Kim Forrest; and half brother, Mark Kentner.

Special thanks to Debra Tallman of First United Methodist Church of Pensacola for your love and support to Donn and his family throughout Donn's journey with Alzheimer's disease. Thank you to all the loving nurses and aides at West Florida Hospital's Hospice wing. Thank you to Marti Wells, Laurie Fritz and Briane, also of Covenant Hospice, who helped care for him (at home) shortly before his death.

He was cremated by Family Funeral and Cremation of Pensacola. His remains will be returned to his mid-western roots of Iowa, where a private memorial service will be held in October to honor his life.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting any donations be made to Covenant Care Hospice of Pensacola, 5041 N. Ninth Ave., Pensacola, FL 32504.