Charles Markes Forbess

Charles M. Forbess

April 21, 1939 – January 21, 2020

A Funeral Service will be held for Charles M. Forbess, 80, of North Bend, on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. at the North Bend Chapel, 2014 McPherson Avenue, with Pastor David Woodruff of Skyline Baptist Church presiding. A reception will follow in the chapel fellowship room. A private family interment will be held following the reception at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery where Chuck will be laid to rest next to his grandson, David Forbess.

Chuck was born on April 21, 1939 in Altheimer, Arkansas to Elmer Lee Forbess and Eva Luella ( Newman ) Forbess…during a tornado that literally took the roof off of the neighbor’s home. On January 21, 2020 in Coos Bay, he went to Heaven and now is with his Savior the Lord Jesus Christ.

Chuck moved to Coos Bay from Arkansas while in grade school. As a young adult he graduated from the National School of Meat Cutting Inc. in Toledo, Ohio. During his working years he worked in plywood mills, City of Empire, operating equipment. At Bandon Seafood he was manager of the meat department which included having a restaurant route. In 1966 he became a registered member of ILWU Local #12 and was in 12 gang. He liked the variety of jobs and mostly operating equipment. The group of men he was registered with were called “ The Fab 40”. In May of 1972, the Jaycees awarded him “Jaycee of the Month”. He was active in church, serving as an associate pastor at the Myrtle Point Baptist Church, a Bible study teacher, attending annual meetings of the Conservative Baptist Association and going to Kiana Baptist Mission with then Pastor Don Carpenter which was located in a remote native Alaskan village of Kiana above the Arctic Circle to relieve John and Kim Piepmeier, a missionary couple, in a fly-in-only village. Chuck served as the President of ILWU Federal Credit Union and on the ILWU Local #12 LRC. He was invited by Oregon Senator, Jack Ripper, to sit on the Oregon Senate floor, which was televised.

On June 27, 1959, Chuck married Gloria Andrews in the United Methodist Church in Coos Bay. Together they would raise two sons and a daughter.

Chuck enjoyed river and ocean fishing, especially for Salmon. He also enjoyed hunting in Eastern Oregon, crabbing, clamming, camping, RV travel which included trips across the United States and finding the grave of his Revolutionary War grandfather, John Forbes, and other relatives that were in the Revolutionary War. He also enjoyed traveling to Israel, Hawaii, Mexico, Salt Spring Island in Canada and Alaskan cruises.

Chuck will be greatly missed by his family and all who knew him.

Chuck is survived by his wife of 60 years, Gloria Forbess; daughter, Kathy Cantrell and her husband Tim; sons Steven and Michael Forbess; grandchildren, Krista and her husband Kyle, Kylie and her husband Jared, Johnathan Charles, Jacob and Onica; and great-grandchildren, Tayler, Joshua, Aiden, Matthew David, Noah, Cameron, Karaline and Kynlee. A new baby boy is due February 16 and will be named Gabriel Charles Slate.

Chuck was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Eva Forbess; brothers, Russell Goodsell and Ray Dean Forbess; sister, Shane; grandsons, Matthew Dean Cantrell and David Michael Forbess; and great-grandchildren Casey and Mattisyn.

Friends and family are encouraged to sign the online guestbook at www.coosbayareafunerals.com and www.theworldlink.com. Arrangements are under the care of North Bend Chapel, 541-756-0440.

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