Forrest W. Colee

Forrest W. Colee, 81, longtime Moses Lake resident, went home to be with his Lord on Saturday, July 31, 2004 at LakeRidge Special Care Center.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, August 3, 2004 at the Moses Lake Assembly of God Church with Pastor Devon Wood officiating. Interment will follow at Ephrata City Cemetery.

Visitation will held today at the funeral home until 7 p.m. Arrangements are in care of Kayser's Chapel and Crematory, Moses Lake.

Forrest was born in Shelbyville, Ind. on January 7, 1923 to Roscoe and Maude Colee. He was raised in Shelbyville and as a high school student, worked part-time in a furniture factory.

Forrest was a World War II veteran, enlisting in the Army Air Corps during his senior year in high school. He was stationed at Larson Air Force Base in 1942, where he met and married Betty Jean Rohlinger in 1943.

He was later assigned to the 498th Bomb Squadron as a medic, serving in the Solomon Islands. After the war, he made his home in Moses Lake.

Later, Forrest and his family moved to Fairbanks, Alaska, where he worked for the Budson Company in the construction field on the Bering Strait on the Arctic Circle.

When the family moved back to Moses Lake to make their permanent home, Forrest worked as a driver/salesman for several local oil companies, including Lake Petroleum, Conoco and Standard Oil.

Forrest was always willing to help whenever needed. In addition to working full-time, he was a volunteer fireman and a Merchant Policeman. He was a member of the Teamsters for 37 years.

Forrest loved his family, his church, camping and working in his garden and yard. He was a charter member of the Assembly of God Church for over 60 years and was active in various ministries in the church for many years, including board member, usher, greeter and Sunday School bus driver. He enjoyed talking and working with children, and the love of children never left him.

He never knew a stranger and delighted in meeting new friends and always kept his old friends.

Forrest is survived by: his loving wife of 61 years, Betty Jean Colee of the family home; daughter and son-in-law, Gail and David Knapton, a son and daughter-in-law, Jim and Lenore Colee, and a son, Jeff Colee, all of Moses Lake; four grandchildren, Kenny Nash and wife, Yvonne, Melissa Schindler and husband, Josh, Travis Colee and wife, Casey, and Ryan Colee; three great-grandchildren, Hailey Colee, Trinity Schindler and Braidyn Colee and a great-granddaughter on the way, all of Moses Lake; six sisters, Juanita Mille, Beulah Davis, Dorothy Ciarletta and husband, Nick, all from Indiana, Betty Cockerham, Rosemary Singer and husband, John, and Hazel Cover, all from Florida; and many extended family members.

Forrest was preceded in death by his parents, Roscoe and Maude Colee.