David Andrew Forsythe

Lieutenant Colonel David Andrew Forsythe U.S Army retired passed away December 21, 2015 at the age of 88 years old.

Funeral services will be at 3:00 p.m. Monday December 28, 2015 at Westminster Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Buddy Monahan officiating. Burial, with full military honors, will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens. The family will receive visitors from 6p.m to 7p.m Sunday at Wilson Funeral home.

He was born and reared at Gregson Hot Springs Montana on January 13, 1927 to George and Victoria (Bryant) Forsythe.

He attended Butte High School and graduated in 1945.That same year he was drafted into the US Army. Discharged in 1947 he then attended Montana State University graduating in 1951 with a degree in Agriculture Engineering and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry. He retired in 1973 and became the Director of the JROTC program at ECISD. After three years, he left the ROTC program and taught history for 15 years at the following schools: Permian High School, Blackshear Jr. High School and Crockett Jr. High School.

Lieutenant Colonel Forsythe was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Disable American Veteran, Military Officer Association and Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He was also a member of the Texas Retired Teachers Association and Billy Sims trailer town.

His military awards are as follows: The Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Meritorious Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Vietnam Staff Medal 1st Class, Combat Infantry Man’s Badge, the Expert Infantry Man’s Badge, US Army Parachutist Badge, and the Vietnam Parachutist Badge.

His unit awards are as follows: the U.S Presidential Unit Citation, The Meritorious Unit Citation with three oak leaves, The Korean Presidential Unit Citation, The Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation, and The Civil Affairs Unit Citation.

Lieutenant Colonel Forsythe also had medals for his service in WWll, The Korean War and two tours in Vietnam.

He was preceded in death by his daughter Victoria Lee Grimes, and his wife of 54 years Elise Janice Forsythe. He is survived by his daughter Belle Hicks, and her husband Peter, of Odessa; four grandchildren, David Hudson Routh and his Fiancée Rashelle Wohleking, Tara Lee Routh and her Fiancé Robert Decker, Jessica Taylor Grimes, Tiffany Belle Grimes and one great grandchild Madilyn Belle Decker.

The family request memorial be made in Lieutenant Colonel Forsythe’s memory to Westminster Presbyterian Church 4901 Maple, Odessa, TX 79762

Services are entrusted to Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors.