David G. Forsberg

David Gordon Forsberg passed away, at the age of 91, on Friday, November 25, 2016 at Royal Oaks in Sun City, Arizona. He was born on May 10, 1925 in Buhl, Minnesota, the son of the late Ole and Nina (Nichols) Forsberg. He was raised in Hibbing, Minnesota and graduated from Hibbing High School.

David Forsberg, a Presbyterian Minister, began his college education at University of Illinois in Champaign / Urbana with a plan to study architecture, but was drafted into the Navy before completing his first semester, and then served as a radio technician on the USS Hart. He returned briefly to his University studies in Illinois before transferring to Macalester College where he met his wife Betty at the college radio station he helped to build. After they married he received a Master in Philosophy from Northwestern, and a Master of Divinity from Yale Seminary. After graduating from Yale Seminary, he was ordained and installed at the Second Presbyterian Church in Newark, OH in 1954. He subsequently served as a minister at Lakewood Presbyterian Church, Central Presbyterian Church, Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church and was elected as Associate Pastor at Faith Presbyterian Church in Sun City in 1986. Religious education for all ages was the focus of his work. The effort he took to right injustices showed his faith in action. He successfully worked with a family doctor to petition the Ohio state legislature, in one legislative session, to set up psychiatric clinics in 5 medium sized towns. He later became Chairman of the Campus Ministry at Case Western Reserve where he worked with others to prove that the banks in the Cleveland area were redlining and discriminating against African Americans.

During retirement he developed web pages for Faith Church and the Presbytery, edited the Royal Oaks newsletter, and volunteered as a tutor. He was also passionate about his newly rekindled love of painting and had a close group of artist friends that met to critique each others work. He won awards in local art shows for his work.

He is survived by his loving wife Elizabeth (Betty Atwood) Forsberg and his daughters Amy, Kathy and Diane Forsberg; his grandchildren Brian and Erica Spates and Erica’s husband Sam Littenberg-Weisberg, his great-granddaughter Adelaide Weisberg.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Presbyterian Peace Fellowship. http://presbypeacefellowship.org/giving#.WEYolVz22M9. Or donations can be made to the Christian Ed Committee or Peace / Justice Mission Committee of Faith Presbyterian Church.