David Forrest, proud Navy veteran

David Forrest, 79, of Georgetown, formerly of Buchanan, Tenn., and Greene, N.Y., passed away at his home Wednesday, March 27, 2024, after a brief battle with bone marrow cancer. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Doreen; two children, Mark Forrest and Rindy (Andy) Cummings; two grandsons, Tanner and Landon Cummings; his sister, Judy (John) Lotsman; two brothers, Glenn Forrest and Wayne (Brenda) Forrest; and several nieces and nephews.

David was a proud veteran of the Navy. He served aboard the USS Charles S. Sperry from 1964-68, which provided gunfire support in Da Nang Harbor during the Vietnam War. He never missed an opportunity to thank a veteran for their service. 

After his naval service, David settled in upstate New York. He worked for Grand Union and then for Victory Markets/Great American. He worked for 25 years as the manager of the Greene Great American, where he formed lasting relationships with many employees and customers. He and his customer, Bill Kimbark, used to sing on the front end of the store, at local nursing homes, and at the talent show at the Catholic Church in Greene. Many of David’s former employees fondly remember the singing.

David had numerous hobbies. He loved to talk about his drag racing days and his 1971 Dodge Challenger with a 340 four-barrel engine. His neighbor in Greene got him interested in building remote-controlled airplanes. David hated to fly his creations because he was afraid of crashing them after all his hard work. Sailing was always a passion. David started with a self-built sailfish, graduated to an 18-feet racing sloop, and finally to a 24-feet Hunter with a cabin, named The Other Woman. He and his wife sailed Otsego Lake in N.Y., Kentucky Lake in Tennessee, and Assawoman Bay in Maryland. During the COVID pandemic, David became an avid jigsaw puzzler, a passion that continued to the end of his life.

Besides his travels with the U.S. Navy, David loved to travel with his wife, various family members and even with student groups. David and Doreen were fortunate to have visited 31 states and 20 countries together. Each one provided a special memory to be reminisced about later on.

David’s kindness and generosity will be missed. St. Jude’s held a special place in his heart. Consider giving back to the community with a blood donation or other charitable donation.

All arrangements will be private.

Visit David's Life Memorial webpage at parsellfuneralhomes.com.