Beverly Mae Forbis

Beverly Mae Western Forbis was born on March 7, 1936 at home in Ceres, CA. She spent her young years living in town, but her parents moved out to the county shortly after she started elementary school. She graduated from Ceres High School in 1954, Modesto Junior College in 1956, and graduated from Sacramento State College in 1959 with a Bachelor of Arts and her teaching credential.

Her first teaching job was in Redding, CA where she spent two years and then transferred to Hayward, CA where she taught for another two years. During this time if she didn’t return home often enough her father would drive to visit her, sometimes alone and sometimes bringing her mother with him. This ended when she met Billy Joe Forbis at church and was suddenly returning to Ceres more often, which led to her thirty-year teaching career in Modesto City Schools (18 years at Grace Davis High School and 12 years at Thomas Downey High School).

Bill and Beverly married in 1963 and settled into married life with Bill’s two sons, Jerry and Joe. During the next six years they welcomed two daughters, Kristina and Kimberlee, and their family was complete.

Throughout her life Beverly was actively involved in many different organizations including; Ceres Christian Church, Girl Scouts of America (of which she was a member of from elementary school through college when she served as a camp counselor and then continued on as a leader for her two daughters and granddaughter), Faculty Wives of Manteca High School, Rock and Mineral Club, Retired Teachers Association, Sacramento State University Alumni Association, Ceres High School Reunion Planning Committee (of which she organized their 70th class reunion just this past October), Modesto Sister City Program for Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine (Beverly and Bill hosted many students and adults from the Ukraine and were chosen to be chaperones for the second student visit to the Ukraine), Mall Walkers of Modesto, and an Active member of Calaveras Timber Trails Camping Association.

Beverly had many interests in life including camping, fishing, sewing, cooking, crafting, and gardening – she especially took pride in her roses, sweet peas, and zinnias. She was a lifelong San Francisco Giants fan and would happily tell you she was able to take her parents to games, and they saw Willie Mays play. She also loved college and professional football, golf, and horse racing. No horse race was complete for her unless she was wearing a big hat while she cheered on her horse. If you watched a sporting event with her you were prepared to hear her cheer and yell at the TV in a way only she could do. Beverly also loved to travel. She and her husband Bill traveled extensively throughout the United State and North America. During these travels they loved visiting National Parks and up until last year she had a National Parks Pass. They continued their travels abroad and visited Africa, China, Ukraine, and Russia. Even after Bill passed away in 2015 she took one last trip – a cruise to the British Isles with a friend.

She was a cheerleader and advocate of her children and grandchildren. Her unconditional love and support gave all who knew her the courage to be all that they could be. She is survived by her daughters Kris Stejskal and husband Tim, Kim Forbis and her husband Jason; her stepson Jerry Forbis and wife Diane, along with six grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents Guy and Gladys Western; her beloved husband Bill; her sister Hazel Doffelmyer; and her stepson Joe Forbis.

The family would like to conclude this with a poem by Margaret Mead.

"Remember me in your heart:

Your thoughts, and your memories

Of the times we loved,

The times we cried,

The times we fought,

The times we laughed.

For if you always think of me, I will never have gone."