Lamar Reed Forbes

He was born July 27, 1947 in Naples, Florida to Marie Viola Keene and Claude Reece Forbes, Jr.

Lamar's childhood was spent in Naples and Pine Island, Lee County. He graduated from North Fort Myers High School in 1965, where he played football, making an All-State team and attaining local notoriety as the so-called "Lee County Monster" due to the combination of his large stature and speed.

Lamar attended Florida Bible College in Miami and worked in the ministry at Grace Bible Church in Naples in the late 1960s. He joined the Collier County Sheriff's Office in 1971, where he was affectionately known as both "Biggun" and "Tiny." He stated later in life that a desire to help people is what led him to join law enforcement.

After moving to Sebring in 1993, Lamar served with the Sebring Police Department until his retirement in 2007. In his role with SPD, he was well-known in the local community as a liaison with downtown merchants and for managing the school crossing guard program, often filling in himself.

In addition to regularly watching every kind of football that was broadcast-his favorite team being the University of Florida- Lamar enjoyed a variety of hobbies throughout his life including fishing, organic gardening, mead making, metal detecting, and wood turning. He was a genealogy enthusiast, and his research led to his attainment of the Florida State Genealogical Society's Florida Pioneer Descendant Certification in 2002. He was a past member of the Masonic Cypress Lodge No. 295 in Naples.

Lamar was preceded in death by his parents, older brother Gordon "Sparky" Forbes, sister-in-law Anita Forbes, and brothers-in-law Robert L. Johnson, Jr. and Joseph Johnson. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Maggie Johnson Forbes of Sebring; his daughter, Jessica Forbes of Pensacola; and numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews, and one great-great nephew. He was a dedicated husband and father (to both his daughter and several beloved dogs), and a faithful friend.

He and his big smile will be dearly missed. Services will be held at Hodges Funeral Home at Naples Memorial Gardens on Friday, August 4, 2023. Visitation will be 10:00-11:00 a.m. followed by a funeral service at 11:00 a.m. with burial to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to Good Shepherd Hospice, 110 Hammock Road, Sebring, FL 33870, www.chaptershealth.org.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hodgesfhatnaplesmg.com for the Forbes family.