Friday, April 19, 2024
Katherine Anne Forbush passed away Oct. 12, 2021, at the age of 80. She valiantly battled cancer for four and half years. God allowed her to pass peacefully at home with her family surrounding her.
Katherine was born in 1941 to William and Katherine Eagen in Odebolt, Iowa. The family later moved to Longview, Wash., where she attended St. Rose Catholic School and subsequently graduated from Kelso High School.
It was in Longview while attending college that she met David Forbush, the man who would be her husband for over 60 years of marriage. Together they raised 10 wonderful children. Katherine dedicated her life to loving and properly raising her children. With 10 children, there were times when things were tight, but there was never a shortage of love and care in Katherine's house.
She worked tirelessly to ensure that every one of her children felt loved, kept healthy, and were well educated. At times that meant spending her summer evenings sewing warm winter coats for the coming winter. She instilled in all of her children the importance of God, family, and education.
She was very proud of her family. Katherine had a close relationship with God, and from that she radiated a confident inner peace that made whoever she was with feel at ease. She had a way of making everyone feel important. No one ever left her house hungry. Katherine was a fabulous cook. As her children grew up and started their own families, she had to make more room at the table during the holidays because no one wanted to miss a holiday meal at Katherine's house.
At Thanksgiving, Katherine often fed 45 family and friends. Christmas and Easter were usually similar but with more desserts. She would sit at the table and beam with joy as she listened to everyone and their stories. Right up to the end, you could find her sitting in the living room copying down family recipes for people who she had fed something they wanted again.
Katherine and David retired to Gearhart, Ore., to a beach house they had designed together. There, with time to herself, she turned to another of her great passions, gardening. She loved seeing things grow, whether it was children or vegetables. She prided herself on her tomatoes and corn.
She and David would spend time together every day in their garden. Every summer visitor would go home with a sack full of fresh vegetables. Her mornings were spent in the garden, and her afternoons were spent on the dock in pursuit of her other retirement passion, bass fishing. Like with all great fisherpersons, every fish came with a unique fish tale.
Katherine was proceeded in death by her daughter Christina and her husband David. She is survived by nine children, 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Katherine was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She shared with all she met her love and joy of life. Katherine deeply influenced all those she knew. She will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her.
Funeral services will be held at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Edmonds Nov. 12 at 10:30 a.m.
Please share memories at www.beckstributecenter.com
