Eugene Stone Forrester

Eugene Stone “Gene” Forrester, Sr. passed away July 29, 2015 in Germantown, TN. Gene was born on August 10, 1924 in Jackson, TN, the youngest child of Delbert D. Forrester and Geneva Luvenia Stone Forrester. After graduating from Jackson High School, Gene immediately entered the Army Air Corps to serve in WWII, and following his stateside training was stationed in England with the 8th Air Force. During his training, Gene was picked to represent his gunnery school in the National Championship, where not only did his gunnery team win the championship, Gene took home several individual awards as well. During the war he was a waist-gunner and radio operator on B-17s flying both combat and humanitarian missions.

When the war was over, Gene used the GI Bill to attend Union University in Jackson where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and a member of the cheerleading squad. One of his responsibilities on the squad was as caretaker for the team’s bulldog mascot—a role he loved. Following graduation he moved to Memphis where he met and married the former Mary Louise “Buzz” Busby in 1955. Gene and Buzz started their married life in New Orleans where he worked in sales for Ortho Diagnostics. As a testament to Gene’s work ethic, drive, attention to detail, and engaging personality, he finished as the number 1 salesman in the country two years in a row. After becoming a division sales manager with Ortho, Gene moved to Spectra Biologicals and then became the Administrative Director at Interstate Blood Bank where he honed his experience in the blood banking industry. Gene then moved to LifeBlood , one of the first non-profit, full-service, all volunteer blood donor centers in the country. Gene served as LifeBlood’s Executive Director from 1975 until his retirement in 1989.

He was a member and elder at Whitehaven Presbyterian Church and, after moving to Germantown, a devoted member of Independent Presbyterian Church. Following retirement, Gene was very active in the Germantown Horse Show and was a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. In his free time, Gene loved playing the piano and enjoyed bridge, golfing, water skiing, and horseback riding. He will be remembered for his love of iced oatmeal cookies, caramel in all forms (cakes, ice cream, candies), Red Cokes, and pretty much anything sweet.

Gene was preceded in death by his mother and father, his brother “D.D.”, his sister Martha Forrester Williams, and his beloved wife of more than 50 years “Buzz”. He is survived by his son, Eugene Stone “Chip” Forrester, Jr., his daughter Lorin Grey Forrester Boudreau of Greensboro, NC, daughter-in-law Kathleen Marie Mooney, son-in-law Robert J. Boudreau, Jr., and his 4 precious grandchildren, Conner Davis Forrester, Carson Blake Forrester, Brennan Grey Boudreau and Alexander Stone Boudreau.

The family will receive guests for sharing favorite memories and refreshments on Friday, July 31 from five o’clock until eight o’clock in the evening in the Life Remembrance Center of Memphis Funeral Home, 5599 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38119. Funeral services will be on Saturday, August 1 in the Chapel of Independent Presbyterian Church beginning at ten o’clock in the morning. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Salvation Army or the Alzheimer’s Foundation. Online condolences and floral tributes may be offered through www.memphisfuneralhome.net.