Israel Alexander Forbes

Israel Alexander Forbes, age 31, a resident of Rangely, CO passed away suddenly from an anoxic brain injury on Tuesday, May 10, 2022. At the time of his passing, he was operating as a private contractor both in landscaping and remodeling.

Israel was born to Dana and Brenda Forbes on December 7, 1990, in Santa Monica, CA. A deeply loyal, empathetic, and principled personality, Israel was always generously compassionate and looking out for the downtrodden. Israel was a clever student and active in school volleyball and bowling. He graduated from Quest Academy in Grand Junction in 2009.

Israel had several health issues that made full-time employment difficult, so he often helped support his sisters and parents in his parents’ home. After high school he lived in varying places including Winston-Salem, NC; Yankton, SD; Loveland, CO; and repeatedly Rangely, CO.

Israel enjoyed finding treasure by any means possible including using his metal detector and dumpster diving. He was interested in God’s creation and enjoyed hiking, fossil hunting, bicycling, and late night walks. He enjoyed working with his hands and had a talent for mechanical work and electronics, being meticulous about any project that he was working on. He also enjoyed landscaping including the use of all gas-powered lawn tools. Israel collected rocks, natural wood sculptures, knives, and more rocks. Most of the rocks and wood pieces he collected were due to what he saw in them rather than other people’s valuation. He once traded a truck load of copper pipe salvage for five minutes to pick up a large piece of wood that has continued to interest him. He enjoyed the process of colored ink drawing. He enjoyed verbal word play. He often cared for others by cooking his own entrée recipe combinations for them so they would eat.

Israel’s faith was very important to him. He shared his belief that God was with him and would take care of him. He was recently accidentally overheard telling his class director that his life’s goal was to find out what God had for him to do and to do it well. He spoke of his cognizance of the final judgment, and that he didn’t want to be ashamed when he stood before the throne of God.

Israel was loyal as the day is long. He was loyal to his God in all the areas he thought God demanded anything of Him. He would stay loyal to the needs of the people in his life even if it was in his best interest to move on. He was loyal to his family. He loved them and wanted more time with them. He would apologize for not being available enough and commented often that he would like to have more time with his close and extended family.

Israel operated under a different set of priorities and a different clock than most people. He fought against the hurriedness of our culture, against scheduling too far ahead of the next few hours, and work schedules that ended when there was still daylight available for a project. Dumpster diving was an art that he used to find things to repurpose, resell, recycle, or regift. He just thought there was still too much life left in things to throw them away. That is what he thought of people, too. If he had to slow the pace because they couldn’t run, well, he would just have to grind some gears and take it back a notch. He was truly generous to a fault.

It is because of these qualities that his family felt confident that Israel would want to regift what had been given to him in the form of organ donation. Israel was declared legally dead on Tuesday, May 10, 2022. His organs were harvested late Thursday evening, May 12 where five people received the gift of life. Donor Alliance representatives remarked that it was rare and miraculous even that there were this many major organs that were healthy and available in a donor.

Israel Forbes is survived by his parents, Dana and Brenda Forbes of Rangely, CO; his brothers Peter (Julie) Forbes of Grand Junction and Evan (Jenelle) Forbes of Loveland, CO; his sisters Elena (Douglas) Stephens of Rangely, CO and Anna Forbes of Grand Junction, CO; Grandmother Rosalie Bosick of Grand Junction, CO; Grandfather and Grandmother Daniel and Lyn Bosick of Meeker; nieces and nephews; and a multitude of loving aunts, uncles, and cousins; and many caring friends. He is predeceased by his Grandma and Grandpa (Jerre and Peter) Forbes and his cousin, Tyrel Bosick.

The memorial service for Israel was conducted in Rangely, CO at the Rangely High School Auditorium on Saturday, May 14, 2022, at 3:30 p.m. A smaller graveside gathering is planned in Hayden, CO on Friday, June 3, 2022.