Mary L. Forbes

Mary Lora (Nace) Forbes, 79, went to be with the Lord on March 14, 2012. She was born on October 29, 1932 in Tulsa, OK to Rev. and Mrs. Paul Lester Nace. Mary went to Southwestern Assemblies of God College in Waxahachie, TX where she ministered on weekends with her life-long friend, Mona Faye Hyder. She sang in a trio with 2 of her sisters, Lois and Eunice. Later, she met and married Loy Lee Forbes, who felt God’s call on his life to minister. Loy and Mary pastored country churches across Oklahoma for several years. After a life changing accident, they quit pastoring and began evangelizing on the weekends. Mary loved to teach children about God and was the girl’s club coordinator in every church they attended. She served as a volunteer chaplain at University Hospital in Oklahoma City for a time. Later she volunteered in the ICU unit at South Community Hospital, where she took the opportunity to minister to families in need. For several years, she entered the Okla. State Fair with her baking and decorated cookie jars, where she won 2 gold medallions as well as numerous blue ribbons. Over the years, she wrote literally hundreds of poems and was a member of the International Poets Society for a time. She has one poem published in the Library of Congress as well as others in the Poets Society annual books. She enjoyed music, baking, crafts, crocheting, writing poetry, volunteer work and, above all, God.

Mary is preceded in death by her husband, parents, sisters, Juanita Weaver and Esther Jackson.

She is survived by children, Dianna Dahlke, Oklahoma City, Dean Forbes, of the home, Darla Evanoff and husband, Jim, Mustang, OK; sisters, Lois Nixon and husband, Charles, Eunice Miller and husband, Robert, Hazel Baker and husband, Omar, Doris Brown and husband, Ron, Helen Graham and husband, Gary, and brother, Gary Nace and wife Beth; 4 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be Sunday, March 18, 2012 at Bill Merritt Funeral Service from 12:00 PM TO 8:00 PM. Funeral Service will be held Monday, March 19, 2012 at The Bridge Assembly of God in Mustang, Oklahoma at 2:00 PM. Interment will follow to Mustang Cemetery.