Terry "T.A." Forsberg

Terry Albert Forsberg, known by his close friends as, “T.A.” went to be with the Lord on December 23rd at the age of 86. Terry was born in Tustin, Michigan on May 8, 1929 to Charles and Hulda Forsberg and had three brothers Bob, Jay and Jack, and three sisters Betty, Beatrice and Alberta. Terry graduated from Tustin High school in 1947 where he excelled in baseball and basketball. After working for one year at Kaiser Frasier in Detroit, Michigan, he came to Lansing and worked for his brothers Bob and Jay for a short time in the residential home building business. He married Beulah Strayer from Williamston, Michigan in Angola, Indiana on December 23, 1950. Terry then went on his own and founded T.A. Forsberg, Inc. and began pouring and finishing basement floors and other flat work for Francis Fine and other local builders in the Lansing area. During this time, he built and established Sunset Redi-Mix in Lansing and provided redi-mix concrete for his own work and to local builders. As his business grew he began to work all over Michigan pouring curb and gutter, concrete widening, and other types of concrete work. In the early sixties T.A. Forsberg, Inc. became pre-qualified with the Michigan Department of Transportation and began to perform work for the state of Michigan. Over time the company expanded into building roads, site work, and began to build municipal sewer and water systems. During this time, Terry was aware of the many trench related deaths and injuries throughout the United States and Canada. These fatalities and injuries were in many cases due to the lack of effective trench shoring systems especially in deeper excavations. Terry was concerned with the safety of his men and all workers that worked in trenches. He recognized the industries serious need for an engineered trench shoring system that would be safe and could be effectively used in a wide variety of utility installations. At this time he designed and engineered a new modular trench shoring system and in 1971 founded Efficiency Production, Inc. that became the first company to manufacture and market a full line of engineered trench shielding products for the US and Canada. Efficiency has continued to grow and expand over the years and is currently run by Ken Forsberg Terry’s oldest son. Later in the early eighties Terry started T.A. Forsberg, Inc. of Florida together with Richard Wendorf and Ronald Judson, two of his key employees. Forsberg of Florida has grown and prospered over the years and is owned and operated by Dick Wendorf and his son Bruce. Terry started Traverse Asphalt Paving in the early 80’s, that was managed by Terry’s second son; Dennis Forsberg. It did highway paving and private work. When that business was sold, Dennis moved back to Lansing to start and run privatization projects for T.A Forsberg Inc. In the early 90’s Terry phased out the construction business in Michigan and made Dennis Forsberg president of T.A Forsberg Inc. Dennis focused on development of residential, commercial, office, and industrial real estate. Terry’s eldest grandson, Brent Forsberg (Dennis’s eldest son) now runs T.A Forsberg Inc. and Forsberg Real Estate. Terry was held in high regard by his construction peers and in 1990 was unanimously elected to serve as President of the Michigan Road Builders Association. He received a standing ovation after his inauguration speech. In December of 2000, Terry and Beulah celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary together, at a special party arranged by daughter; Faith West. Beulah worked behind the scenes supporting Terry in whatever he did. She enjoyed entertaining Terry’s friends and business associates. Beulah passed away in 2001. One of Terry’s favorite summer places was Indian River, Michigan where he acquired a cottage on Burt Lake in 1970. He loved to watch the sun rise and set over Burt Lake and enjoyed fishing, hunting and golf with his sons, grandsons, brothers, and close friends. Many stories resulted from these hunting and fishing trips including a six-week Safari to Kenya, Africa in 1972. Terry began writing poetry in the early fifties. In 2013 his sister-in-law Midge Forsberg edited and published a complete book of all of his poems which Terry provided to his family and friends. Terry very much enjoyed country music and in 2012 hired professional musicians from Nashville, Tennessee to produce, “The Tea Party Shuffle” a country western album that included the song “There is more to country Music”, which Terry wrote himself. Terry was an avid golfer, and was a member at the Indian River Golf Club in Indian River, Michigan, Walnut Hills, in Lansing, Michigan and Rosedale golf club in Bradenton, Florida. He participated in many tournaments and especially enjoyed his golfing friends. In late 2002 Terry met Judy Rhinehart and they have been enjoying life together ever since. They have traveled and spent time together at homes in both, Indian River, Mich. and Bradenton, Florida. Judy’s love and dedication during Terry’s long illness was very much appreciated by his family. Terry will be missed by his friends all over the country.

Terry is survived by his three children Ken Forsberg, Dennis (JoAnn) Forsberg, and Faith (Mike) West. Grandsons; Jaysen (Carmen), Brent (Christel), Lance (Adrienne), Chad, Matthew and Cameron. Granddaughters; Emily, Farrin, and Catherine. Great-grandsons; Cody, Chris, Jaysen Jr., Mitchell, Jameson. Great-granddaughters; Avery, Sophia, Rayna, Hadassah, Holly;his longtime partner, Judy Rinehart; and Judy's children, Janel Rinehart and Jeff Rinehart. Terry was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Beulah, and his grandson Branden Forsberg.

Funeral Services will be held on Monday, January 4, 2016 at 11:00AM at River Terrace Christian Reformed Church, 1509 River Terrace, East Lansing. Interment will follow in Summit Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Sunday, January 3, 2016 from 2pm to 4pm and from 6pm to 8pm at the Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, 1730 E. Grand River Ave., East Lansing. In lieu of flowers, it was Terry’s wish that memorial donations be made to Outdoor Warrior Adventure, ATTN.: Eric Speckin, 110 East Broward Blvd., 17th Floor, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 or online at helpvetsgofishing.com/speckin-charities/. The family is being served by Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, East Chapel. On line condolences may be made at www.greastlansing.com