William George Forrest

George (always going by his middle name) was son of Mary Eunice (Grant) and James Harold Forrest. He was born in North Vancouver, B.C. on January 5, 1942. While he initially dropped out of high school to join the military, he later completed his grade 12 equivalency and completed the electronics technologist program at British Columbia Institute of Technology in 1971. He was eager to tell anyone who would listen about his college years, and how he and his classmates had a published paper in the American Journal of Physics detailing their novel approach to making a hologram. George married Irene May Ross on August 8, 1964 and they had 4 children James (Kelly), Christopher (Dana), Katherine (Robert) and Kimberley (Dan). George enjoyed 5 pin bowling, and he and Rene bowled regularly for many years. In his retirement years, George took a liking to golf. You could often find him and Rene on the golf course with George strategically finding his ball in places other than where it landed! The family moved around for George’s work and in addition to North Vancouver, they lived in Kamloops, Kelowna, and Nelson before George and Rene finally settled down and retired in Kelowna. George was well known for his wit. Anyone who ever ate a meal with him was sure to be asked whether they wanted something passed by air mail or pony express – A joke that somehow got more amusing the more often he used it.

Of all his roles, the one George was most fond of was being a grandfather. While he would speak fondly of his kids, he absolutely adored his 12 grandchildren Nicole, Kelsey, William, Oliver, Emily, Hannah, Easton, Brittany, Jarrod, Carson, Jordan and Hali. During the summers, George and Rene’s home was often the summer base for many of the grandchildren, and they will all share many memories made during those summers. Most recently George also adored his 6 great grandchildren Benjamin, Thomas, Isla, Olivia, Elise and Payton.

George’s family would ask that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Kelowna Hospice house who took such great care of his beloved wife Rene in her final days. A celebration of life for both George and Rene will happen later this summer and will be announced separately.