It is with great sadness that our family announces the sudden and unexpected passing of our beloved, William Eli Forrest on Thursday September 27, 2018. He was 62. Bill’s spirit lives on in his sons: William Forrest (mother, Gina Forrest - Scottsdale), and Max Forrest, Clifford Forrest, and Jarrod Stamper, (mother, Meg Forrest - Scottsdale). Bill also sadly leaves behind his loving sister Donna (Forrest Hiatt), brother-in-law, Lincoln Hiatt, nieces Lila, Zakiya and Evelyn Hiatt of Los Angeles, and Mara Castro (Stamper) of Miami (son, Jaxon, husband, Jose Castro). Adoring friends, relatives, acquaintances, restaurant customers and former golf pupils are also deeply saddened by this loss.
Bill was born in Ottawa, Canada on January 24, 1956. He spent most of his formative years in the small southern Ontario town of Fort Erie. He fell in love with the game of golf there, at a small golf course down the street from where he lived, The Rio Vista, where he became a junior caddy at the age of nine. His first teaching pro assistant’s job was under Peter Haime at the Ottawa Hunt and Country Club. Bill excelled in the golf world and after touring for some years, mainly in Asia, he came back to teach at U.S. courses in California, Colorado, Florida and finally Scottsdale, Arizona. While Bill was Director of Instruction at Troon Country Club in Scottsdale (he also was DOI for many years at TPC in Scottsdale), he was named PGA of America’s Teacher of the Year (see: https://thegolfwire.com/109359-2/
http://www.pgaofcanada.com/news/index.aspx?l=0,1,26,37 and https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/golf/dedication-to-teaching-pays-off-for-forrest/article733345/)
Bill’s recent years have been some of his happiest. After thirty-some years as golf pro, Bill realized a dream and launched a new career as a restaurateur, designing and creating a very successful wood-fired pizza restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona called Il Bosco (“the forest” in Italian). His restaurant opened in 2012 and is much-loved by his family and thousands of pizza- lovers. In 2017 Phoenix Magazine also recognized Bill’s pizzeria and one of his pizzas as the best in America (http://www.phoenixmag.com/food-reviews/pizza-city-usa.html).
Bill was a loving and dedicated dad, devoted, loyal friend, a generous and caring brother, uncle, partner. He passed onto his sons his love of, and skills in golf and hockey. He was happiest cooking and enjoying a meal with family and friends. He was a passionate foodie, an instinctive chef, and an accomplished baker. He was also a spiritual man who loved God and nature, and was involved with many different religions and churches. He fought hard and worked always to be the best he could be. We will miss him every day. We will miss his caring nature, his arm around my shoulder, that cheeky smile and hearty laugh.
A Celebration of Life service for Bill will be held on Monday, October 29, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. at the Franciscan Renewal Center, 5802 E Lincoln Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85253. Reception will follow at the same location.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill’s name may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation or to the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation: https://alzfdn.org/support-us/donate/ (in honor of his dear mother, Coranna who predeceased him in 2004).
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