This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Forbes Classification: Pension Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/EEX.2ACIB/734 Message Board Post: The following obit is reprinted from The Daily World in Aberdeen, Wash. It is here with their permission. Robert B. Forbes-December 1, 2001 BREMERTON-Aberdeen native Robert Briedwell Forbes, 77, of Kingston died Saturday, Dec. 1, 2001, in the Harrison Hospital at Bremerton. Mr. Forbes was born March 14, 1924, to Robert W. and Hope (Briedwell) Forbes, members of pioneering families in Washington and Oregon. He attended elementary and high school in Aberdeen until his father was called to active duty at Fort Worden in Port Townsend in 1940. He graduated from high school at Port Townsend in 1941 and attended Linfield College for a year before enlisting in the Army. During World War II, he was a paratroop officer in combat in the European and Pacific theaters. Mr. Forbes was awarded two Purple Hearts and the Silver Star. After the war, he attended the University of Oregon, then the University of Washington, where he received a bachelor of science degree in 1950 and a doctorate in geology in 1959. His thesis was on the geology of the Juneau Ice Field in southeast Alaska, an area he first visited as geologist and executive officer with the Juneau Ice Field Research Project in 1949. He was a member of the Sigma Alphqa Epsilon fraternity. >From 1950 to 1956, he worked as a civilian Arctic and mountaineering expert for the Army, including being part of the team that brought the bullet-proof vest and insulated arctic boot to soldiers on the front lines in the Korean War. He joked he was more scared as a civilian in Korea than he'd been in combat during World War II because he couldn't shoot back. In 1959, he went back to Alaska with his family, joining the geology faculty of the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. His love for Alaska came from his boyhood fascination with a grandfather, a pioneer in Alaskan fisheries and canning at the turn of the century and Alaskan geology largely unknown at the time. Mr. Forbes was with the university's Department of Geology and the Geophysical Institute until 1978 retiring to begin a consulting career. In conferring the title of professor emeritus upon him, the university said he'd won the esteem of students and colleagues for his ability and vision and earned an international scientific reputation for himself and the school. In his more than 40 field seasons in Alaska, he covered most of the bush country and published many scientific articles. He was involved in numerous search and rescue missions and was awarded a Commendation for Meritorious Service for rescuing elderly residents stranded in the Alaska Pioneerss Home during the Fairbanks flood of 1967. In 1986, he was appointed state geologist and director of the Alaska Geological and Geophysical Surveys. When he retired as state geologist in 1991, the Alaska legislature passed a resolution honoring him for his contributions. Mr. Forbes made two trips to Antarctica. In 1956, he accompanied Admiral Richard Byrd on the first American Antarctic expedition since before World War II. In 1957, he was awarded the Department of the Army's Outstanding Performance Award for his Antarctic research. A mountain ridge in Antarctica bears his name. With his family, he spent a sabbatical in 1963-64 as a visiting research professor in petrology at the University of Tokyo. After retiring, he and his wife, Norma, returned to Washington, living at Port Townsend, then Kingston. Mr. Forbes helped in the continuing development of the Coast Artillery Museum at Fort Worden as chairman of the board and as director. He was an avid skier and mountaineer and belonged to the American Alpine Club for more than 25 years. He continued to work in geological research and consulting until his final illness. Mr. Forbes is remembered for his warmth, humor and stories of his adventures. He is survived by his wife of Kingston; two sons, Rob of Boulder, Colo.; and John of Bainbridge Island; a brother, Norman of Fife, and three grandchildren. A memorial and celebration of his life are set for 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12, at the chapel at Fort Worden. (note: I am of no relation, Anyone having questions or comments may e-mail me directly. Please do not hit the reply button, cause I can't see messages sent that way.)