Ethel Louise Forisha passed peacefully of natural causes at her Denison home on Thursday, October 4, 2018. She was born on January 12, 1919 and died at 99 years, 9 months of age. Ethel was the first of seven children born to Oma Hadus Morgan Kirschner and John Francis Kirschner in Willis, Oklahoma.
She grew up in Fobb Bottom, Oklahoma and worked on her family farm. She moved to Madill, Oklahoma and lived with an aunt to finish her high school education where she was the recipient of several awards. After high school graduation, the family moved to Denison because of the impoundment of the Red River by the building of the Denison Dam.
As World War II began and her brothers were called away to war, she and her sisters used their brothers’ ration stamps to get enough gas to drive from Dripping Springs to Denison, where Ethel worked at places such as the Madden Department store.
She married Richard Willie Forisha on February 1, 1947 in Dripping Springs, Texas and stopped work to raise a family.
In 1953 she helped organize Belmont Baptist Church of Denison after a tent revival in that area. She remained a dedicated member of Belmont until her death. She worked diligently in church and served as teacher, secretary, treasurer and Sunday School Superintendent. Ethel was always ready to help with repairs, remodeling or decorations at her beloved church.
In 1967 she began working one day a week unloading stock for the S&H Green Stamp Redemption Center in Denison. Her excellent work ethic lead to eventually being named manager of the store, a position held until her retirement some 20 years later. After retirement, she volunteered many years with the Grayson County Health Department.
She was a master seamstress, did needlework of all kinds and quilted beautifully. She loved gardening, cooking, canning and made relish that was so delicious it was requested by US soldiers serving in Afghanistan. Her relish won first place in Grayson County and Bryan County Fairs. She enjoyed word games, puzzles and sending cards to friends and relatives.
She was preceded in death by husband Richard Forisha, mother Oma Kirschner, father John Kirschner, sisters Evelyn Samuel and Elaine Lovell, brother Ted Kirschner, and daughter Diana Sharp.
She is survived by her brother Fred Kirschner and wife Jackie of Fort Worth, sisters Estelle Scally of Sherman and Elsie Sikes of Denison, daughter Janice Brown and husband Doyle of Durant, son Tommy Forisha and wife Kathy of Plano, grandchildren Kim McMichael and husband Lonny of Sammamish WA, Kellie Henderson of Fort Worth, Joshua Forisha of Wylie, Jonathan Forisha and wife Caitlin of Denver CO, and great-granddaughter Wilhelmina McMichael of Sammamish WA, as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews, extended family and friends, all of whom she loved dearly.
Visitation is Sunday, October 7, 2018 at 1:30 P.M. with the funeral to follow at 3:00 P.M. at Bratcher Funeral Home. Burial will be on Monday at 10:00 A.M. at Fairview Cemetery in Denison, Texas.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.bratcherfuneralhome.com for the Forisha family.
