Ray Marcus Forbes was born June 26, 1989 in Rome, Georgia. He is survived by his wife of ten years, Alison Dillard Forbes; his parents, Mark and Lynn Forbes; his sister, Brittany Forbes Hanley, and the family members listed below.
He and Alison lived in Columbia, SC, where he worked at The Animal Protection League. He served as a 12 T Technical Engineer in the United States Army.
Ray Forbes was a wonderful husband to Alison and they had a circle of dedicated friends. He was a talented drummer and enjoyed playing in a band.
He struggled valiantly against the effects of post-traumatic stress syndrome and yet was able, for many years, to make the most of his life and bring help and comfort to others.
Ray was a kind and giving person. He volunteered with Meals on Wheels and Sunset Felines. He happily donated his time helping elderly neighbors, doing the chores they were no longer able to handle. He drove the very ill to their medical treatments and spent hours comforting people in their final days. He was close to Alison’s parents, Emalee and Mark Dillard, who thought of him more as a son than as an in-law.
He is survived by his birth mother, Cindy Williams; birth sisters, Brittany (Forbes) Hanley (Keith), Nicole Morris (Josh), Miranda Williams, and Mercedes Williams.
Also by his grandfather, Victor Kirkland; aunts, Susan Smith (Dwight, Erin and Eric), Lorrene Forbes (Liam, Laura and Duncan), Linda Lee (Allison and Bryan), and Bobbie Jackson (Ray, Christopher, Spencer and Hillary).
Also, uncles, Raymond L. Forbes (Traci, Ethan and Adam), Greg Kirkland (Jamie), and Jimmy Forbes (Shannon, Aiden and Molly); nieces and nephews, Carlyanna Faulk, Rosabelle Faulk, Xander Hanley, Roman Williams, Hunter and Hadley Morris and Mia Elizabeth Freeman and Abigail Scout Freeman; sister-and-brother-in-law, Amie Freeman and Chris Freeman.
Preceding Ray in death are his grandmother, Barbara Kirkland; grandparents, James and Norma Forbes; aunt, Janyce Forbes; uncle and aunt, James R. and Claudia Forbes; and an uncle, David Forbes.
Visitation is Thursday, October 3, 2019 at 5:00 p.m., followed by a 6:00 p.m. service. Both are at Caughman-Harman Funeral Home, Lexington Chapel, 503 N. Lake Drive, Lexington, SC 29072. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to: Animal Protection League, PO Box 5354, Columbia, SC 29250; Sunset Felines, 105 Peaceful Lane, West Columbia, SC 29170; Meals on Wheels, 2817 Millwood Ave., Columbia, SC 29205; Charleston Clinic and Community Center - Nicaragua, 21 Gamecock Ave., Suite D, Charleston, SC 29407 or Rodaille School - Haiti, P.O. Box 224065, West Palm Beach, FL 33422.
