John William Forbes, Jr.

John William Forbes, Jr., 99, of Stuarts Draft passed away Sunday, January 19, 2014 at the University of Virginia Medical Center. Born July 26, 1914 in Bedford County, he was the son of the late John William Forbes, Sr. and Cornelia (Welch) Forbes. Mr. Forbes attended Stuarts Draft Baptist Church where he was the oldest member. He worked as an automobile mechanic and owned and operated J & G Garage. John was a charter member of the Stuarts Draft Fire Department where he served as the second Fire Chief for 17 years. At his time of death, he held the position of honorary Fire Chief. His real love in life was gardening. He prided himself on having the best garden in town and enjoyed giving his vegetables away to others. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Virginia Forbes; son, Edward Van Forbes; daughter-in-law, Martha Forbes; sisters, Kathleen Hatfield, Louise Goggin, Winnie Brumfield, Hilda Cohron and Doris Almarode; brothers, Clifton Forbes, Don Forbes and Paul Forbes; special cousin, Warren Kane. Survivors include his loving son, Dr. John W. Forbes III and wife, Ann of Stuarts Draft; brother, N.H. “Nat” Forbes of Stuarts Draft; grandchildren, John M. Forbes of Las Vegas, NV, Terry Forbes of Charlottesville, Mary Elizabeth “Beth” Howard and husband, John of Stuarts Draft, Rebecca “Becky” Smith and husband, Tim of Zion Crossroads; great-granddaughter, Sarah Howard; very special cousin who was like a foster child to him, Gene Kane and wife, Susan of Stuarts Draft; as well as a number of nieces and nephews. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, January 22, 2014 at Stuarts Draft Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. William Kopp and Pastor Judson Baldwin officiating. Burial will follow in Calvary United Methodist Church Cemetery. Active pallbearers will be Mike Moneymaker, Freddie Garber, David Cohron, Randal Almarode, John Howard and John Kane. Honorary pallbearers will be the three remaining charter members of the Stuarts Draft Fire Department, Gerald Suter, Glen Sutton and David “Dee” Gayhart. The family will receive friends from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. on Tuesday, January 21, 2014 at the Stuarts Draft Chapel of Reynolds Hamrick Funeral Homes, 1870 Stuarts Draft Highway. Those desiring may make memorial contributions to the Stuarts Draft Baptist Church-Building Fund, P.O. Box 1054, Stuarts Draft, VA 24477 or Stuarts Draft Fire Department, P.O. Box 548, Stuarts Draft, VA 24477. Relatives and friends may share condolences and memories with the family online by visiting www.reynoldshamrickfuneralhomes.com