Robert William Forbes

     Robert William (Bob) Forbes, 82 years old, traveled that road to Glory and reached his Heavenly Home on Friday, October 4, 2019, at 10:04 A.M.  He had been in declining health for the past year.  He was born in Rutherford County and was the son of Manley and Virginia Biggerstaff Forbes.  He graduated from Mooresboro High School in 1955.  He attended Gardner Webb College and Clemson University with courses in textiles.  He completed professional training in management at Burlington, Milliken, and Draper Corporation in Spartanburg.  He served as supervisor and superintendent at Dover Mill Company for nineteen years.  Following that, he ran Forbes Consulting Company, worked at Keeter Ford in Sales, and served as Vice President of Ellenboro Upholstery Supply Company until his death.  He served as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Infantry Division and in the National Guard from 1955 till 1961.

     He accepted Christ at thirteen years old at Campfield Memorial Baptist Church.  He taught adult Sunday School class at Sandy Run Baptist Church for more than twenty years.  He was the teacher for the Angela Putman Sunday School class at Bethel Baptist Church for the past several years.

Always positive and cheerful, he told interesting stories and liked a good joke.  He always looked on the bright side of life.  He loved to travel and frequently accompanied his mother and wife Joyce on tours that Mrs. Forbes organized.  He also traveled abroad and enjoyed the sights in England and Scotland, as well as other countries of the world.

     Survivors include his wife Joyce Toney Short Forbes of the home, his brother Jack Forbes and wife Sharon of Kings Mountain, nieces Tania (Paul) Crabtree and Lauren (Jonathan) Rivenbark, nephew Ronnie Forbes.  Other survivors are sisters-in-law Doris Anderson, Charlotte; Ruth Conder, Charlotte; Grace Toney Edwards, Christiansburg, Virginia; Ann Toney, Shelby; brothers-in-law Sherrill Toney, Shelby; John Martin, Sr., Ellenboro; Bill Gibson, Charlotte; and John Nemeth, Christiansburg, Virginia.  He is also survived by nephews Robert Luckadoo, John Jr. and Michael Martin, Trent, Kyle, and Zane Edwards, Matthew and Andrew Toney; and nieces Amanda Luckadoo Burnette and Lisa Anderson Wilson. He has eight great nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son Keith Forbes and brother Joe Forbes.

     Funeral services will be held at 3:00 P.M. on Tuesday, October 8, at Bethel Baptist Church, Ellenboro, with Reverend Michael Sepaugh officiating.  Interment will follow in the church cemetery with military honors and Masonic rites.  The family will receive friends from 1:30 till 2:45 P.M. in the Family Life Center of Bethel Baptist Church.

Memorials may be made to Bethel Baptist Church, Post Office Box 633, Ellenboro, North Carolina 28040. 

Padgett & King Mortuary is serving the Forbes family.  An online guest registry is available at padgettking.com.  

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