Shirley Mae English Forbing

Shirley was born during the Great Depression in 1930 in Omaha, NE, to Ezra Rayner English and Eva Hollan and was the 10th of 15 children in her family. Eva’s mother inherited then sold 5 homes and put the money in the bank but the banks failed because of the Depression and the family went from riches to rags in one day. Eva moved to Omaha in a covered wagon. The Depression and other circumstances caused the family to break up. The younger children were split up and sent to orphanages. Shirley went to the Creche home in Omaha, named after the Baby Jesus who was born in a Creche. Shirley and her brother, Virgil, went to the same orphanage but the others were dispersed and no contact was allowed between them or with Eva. In adulthood, Shirley searched for all her siblings in a desire to reconnect. One sister, Betty Jean, was particularly hard to track down but she persevered and found her going by a different name, Susan. The last of the siblings, Shirley’s sister, Donna Nelson, resides in Hastings, NE with her husband Dr. Donald Nelson.

When Shirley graduated from grade school, she was no longer eligible to live at the Creche (she aged out) and was asked if she wanted to go to an adolescent facility or go to work. She chose to work. An attorney named Robert Adams and his wife Kay were in need of a nanny. Kay came to the Creche home where Shirley was living and was thrilled to find Shirley. Shirley was equally as thrilled to work for what would become her extended family for life.

Shirley went to Benson High School in Omaha and was later inducted into their Hall of Fame along with Warren Buffet, her “claim to fame”.

After graduating high school, she moved to California and attended the University of Redlands with the help of grandparents, Andrew and Clara English. There, she met and married Irvin Henry Forbing. They divorced 12 years later and Shirley went on to raise two children, work full-time and finish her doctorate.

Shirley’s professional career and positive influence was immense. Shirley E. Forbing, Ed.D. graduated and received her doctorate degree from the University of Southern California in Special Education /Educational Psychology. Later she became a Full Professor and Chair in the Department of Special Education at San Diego State University (1969-1992). When Dr. Forbing retired, she was honored with the title of Professor Emerita of Special Education for her outstanding service. Formerly, Dr. Forbing spent 10 years teaching special education classes in the public schools, including students with various disabilities and challenges. She was a pioneer in working with autistic children. She started her educational work as a graduate of SDSU and ended her professional career there. Dr. Forbing was the author of many journal articles and co-authored a textbook entitled Creating Drug Free Schools and Communities: A Comprehensive Approach with Dr. C. Lynn Fox. They were consultants and speakers at National Conferences for over 25 years. In collaboration they wrote and directed three major Federal grants targeting drug abuse prevention. Forbing and Fox were co-directors of Project STOP for schools. They continued to work together when Forbing was Director of Project CODE, a parent/professional training-of-trainers model on drug education and effective parenting. Forbing was Co-Director for Project ACE which focused on Activating Communities in drug education. Dr. Forbing served on many National committees: 1.) International Institute of Drug Prevention, 2.) U.S. Dept of HHS Bi–National Project on Drug Prevention, and 3.) the Western Center for Drug Free Schools and Communities (1987-1992). She was very involved as an advisory member for numerous California, San Diego and El Cajon groups in education and drug abuse prevention efforts until her mid-80s. She was honored by CASA in El Cajon, CA. for her life-long contribution to Drug Awareness and Prevention. In 1990, Dr. Forbing received major awards from both the Sacramento Association of County Drug Programs Administrators and the “Woman of the Year” from the California Women’s Commission on Alcohol and Drug Dependencies in San Diego. In terms of teaching skills, Dr. Forbing always received the highest marks and was given the “Outstanding Professor Award from San Diego University Alumni Association”. Dr. Shirley Forbing always gave her talents, heart and soul to whatever she did. Everyone, especially her students, loved and respected her. She was the best at all she did because she cared.

After retirement, Shirley wrote a series of children's book/CD's about true animal stories for children and their grandparents to read together to create bonding experiences. (See Amazon.com for "Haida and Paul Horn: The Adventures of a Killer Whale and a Jazz Musician"). She remained active in her own community and in the development of the Twilight in Balboa Park Summer Concerts in San Diego which is now over 50 years old and still growing.

Shirley was a world traveler, spending much of her travel time with friends and family, really connecting with people, and enjoying life to the fullest. She had amazing cooking skills and had an uncanny ability to recreate recipe after tasting it in the finest restaurant. She was intelligent, driven, creative, loyal to a fault, …. And was the epitome of grace and dignity.

Shirley is survived by her children, Allen Andrew Forbing, 72, of Escondido, CA, and Lisa Forbing Howell, 65, of Ramona, CA, as well as nieces, nephews and cousins, all of whom loved her dearly.

Services will be held at St. James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, La Jolla, CA, on what would have been her 95th birthday, August 11th, 2025 at 3:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Shirley’s name to San Diego State University Alumni Honors and Scholarship funds for the College of Education.