Bruce Baker Forbes Jr.

On Saturday, July 28, 2018 Bruce B. Forbes Jr. passed away at age 71; his life has ended but his journey has just begun. He was a loving husband, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, and friend. He was preceded in death by his father, mother, sister Sally, and brother Roger. He is survived by his wife Rebecca, sister Susan, sisters in law, brothers in law, nieces, and nephews.

Bruce was born February 28, 1947 to Bruce B. and Josephine (Bilicki) Forbes in Winchester, Massachusetts. He grew up in Stoneham, MA with siblings, Susan (Michael Doucette), Sally, and Roger. He always loved the woods and spent summers in Maine helping out at a camp that his guidance counselor’s family owned.

After graduating high school he received his draft notice so he joined the United Stated Marine Corps. He finished boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, and went to Camp Pendleton, California for further training before being sent to Da Nang, Viet Nam for nine months. He was able to have a front row seat at the Bob Hope USO show because of him being drunk! He and his buddies were partying before having to stand in line for the show, and Bruce was looking extremely ill. Someone from the show saw him and thought it was the heat/humidity making him sick, so they brought him to the front with other injured soldiers. He took a lot pictures but unfortunately all his souvenirs, pictures, and personal items were stolen stateside while he was on a ship returning home.

When in California he met Rebecca (Becki) Sanchez his future wife. They corresponded while he was in the military and upon being discharged he moved to Burbank, California. He married Becki on June 23, 1973 and made their home in Burbank. There he was embraced her large family and became a beloved Uncle to various nieces and nephews. He taught them how to play dominos, cards, board games, 52 pick-up, and love of the WWF.

He worked at Lockheed Aircraft for 18 years before they moved the operation to Georgia. Afterwards he worked at Fedco, San Bernardino for 14 years, then Stater Bros., Lake Arrowhead before retirement.

He was one of the few Easterners who missed the four seasons, pine trees and snow. When Lockheed closed, he and Becki found a beautiful home high in the San Bernardino Mountains. He loved living there, sitting on the deck listening to the wind blowing through the trees, and shoveling snow.

They both loved traveling, camping in Morro Bay, Big Sur, Grand Canyon and took many weekend trips up and down the coast of California. They returned to the East Coast many times, and always stopped in Damariscotta, ME to visit the camp and friends. He was stationed in Kaneohe, Oahu after Viet Nam and they traveled to Hawaii to visit the places he remembered.

In 2009 he was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease after years of misdiagnosis. He fought the battle, went to UCLA for their study and treatment and became bedbound in 2015. He had two amazing caregivers, Anthony Jakubiak and Tanya DeMent-VanBebber who lovingly cared for him until the end.

He will be missed.

“He died that day because his body had served its purpose. His soul had done what it came to do, learned what it came to learn, and then was free to leave.”

― Garth Stein