Obituary for Richard L. Forney
Richard “Dick” Larry Forney, 95, passed away on Thursday, August 17,
2023 at Akron City Summa Hospital.
He was born May 19, 1928 to Issac William Forney and Martha Maude
(Long) Forney. He had a younger brother, Gary Kent Forney, of
Pensacola, FL.
After his father signed special papers which required Dick to graduate
early from Orrville High School, he enlisted in the U. S. Army at age 17
to join World War II forces in Europe in 1945. He was part of the Special
Services attached to General Mark Clark’s honor guard and later served
Chief Warrant Officer Leon G. Dandoy, Jr. in Marburg, Germany and
then in Vienna, Austria. Richard was decommissioned as a Corporal T5
in 1947. Dick was a member of the Veterans of Wars Post 3446 for
more than 70 years and served as Post Commander from 1979-1980.
He was also a longtime member of the American Legion Post 282.
Returning from Europe at the end of the war Dick attended Akron
University for a short time before returning to Orrville permanently. In
Orrville he worked for J.M. Smucker Company (where he met Anna
Hawks), Sanderson Cyclone, Snyder Ford (part-time), Wayne County
Sheriff as a Part-Time Deputy and at Smith Dairy where he retired after
32 years on May 31, 1995.
He has been a lifelong member of the Orrville Christian Church. Dick
was also a 32 nd degree Mason, Scottish and York Rites for more than 50
years. He served on the Fraternal Order of Police Association in Orrville
as Secretary, and was appointed to the Orrville Fireman Dependency
Board where he served for 22 years.
He married Anna Elizabeth (Duris) Hawks June 4, 1954. She preceded
Richard in death in October 10 th , 1998. They had one son; William Kent
Forney who died less than two years old on September 9 th , 1959.
Richard had two daughters from Anna’s first marriage, Billie Terrell
(Hawks) Blosser and Gail Ann Hawks.
Richard married Elgie Auten September 4, 2004, who recently passed
away earlier this month after nearly 19 yrs of marriage.
His hobbies included, photography, golf, shooting traps, traveling to
Europe, Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean.
He is survived by his children; Billie Blosser and Gail Hawks and his
grandchildren; Richard Marion Blosser(CA), Carrie Terrell Scheckelhoff
(OH), Elizabeth Marie Blosser(OH), and Abigail Evelyn Harris(OH) and
eleven great grandchildren; and one great, great grandchild.
Viewing will be held at Gresser Funeral Home Friday the 26 th from 9:30-
11:00 with burial following in Crown Hill Cemetry Chapel, both in
Orrville. Ohio
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