Obituary for Forest Swisher
FOREST GENE SWISHER
CANFIELD – Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday at the Lane Family Funeral Homes, Canfield Chapel, 65 N. Broad St. for Forest Gene Swisher, 90, who died Thursday afternoon at Camelot Arms in Youngstown.
He resided in Canfield from 1964 to the present.
Forest was born Jan. 14, 1926, in West Union, W. Va., a son of Ezra Guy Swisher and Esther Gay Gumm.
He attended Salem College and received a BS Degree in Social Studies and a Master’s Degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Following college, he played pro ball for the New York Giants and the Baltimore Colts.
Forest was a U.S. Navy veteran and served during World War II in the Pacific from 1943 to 1946. He was a member of the Elks No. 55, American Legion No. 732, VFW No. 3307 and was a member of the Eastern Ohio Conservation Club for more than 30 years, serving on the board of directors. He was named Sportsman of the Year, many times. He was also a 32nd Degree of the Scottish Rite Free Masonry, Lodge No. 21.
He worked at Republic Steel as a general foreman of operations-metallurgist from 1950 to 1982.
Forrest was preceded in death by his wife, Rita Davis Swisher of Youngstown; one stepson, Lynn Smith; his brother, Bernard Swisher; and sisters Regina (Genie) DuFrene of Lompoc, Calf., Lucille Swisher and Wilmadine Bonnel of West Union, W.Va., Freda Stitt of Columbus, and “Bucky” Swisher of West Union, W.Va.
He is survived by one brother, Ezra (Beverly) Swisher of Williamstown, W.Va.; sisters Sally Jacobs of Smithburg of W.Va. and Sue Jett of Marietta; and many much loved nieces and nephews.
Friends may call on Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Forest will be interred at Green Haven Memorial Gardens in Canfield.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Lane Family Funeral Homes, Canfield Chapel