Fellow Lions,

It greatly saddens me to announce the passing of one of our Charter Members, Lion GS Forrest . He had been undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Lion GS Forrest was one of the original Charter Members of the Poquoson Lions Club, helping organize and establish the Club on February 18, 1948.  Lion GS was also instrumental in helping start both the Mathews and York Lions Clubs and was very active in all club activities even over this past year where he helped organize the club’s 58^th annual Charter Night in February 2006.  In 1993 Lion GS was honored as a Melvin Jones Fellow, a humanitarian honor that was initiated in 1973 and named for the founding father of the International Lions Club.  Lion GS continually demonstrated his leadership and take charge attitude by participating in almost every Lions Club event, by heading numerous committees and even serving as Club President. Lion GS was the epitome of the Lions Motto “We Serve” and will be sorely missed.

The following was obtained from the Daily Press.

POQUOSON - George S. "G.S." Forrest, 89, a native and lifelong resident and former mayor of Poquoson, passed away Tuesday, May 16, 2006. He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church and the Men's Bible Class; a charter member of Poquoson Lion's Club, where he received the Melvin Jones Fellow award from the Lions Clubs International Foundation; a member of Poquoson Masonic Lodge #49 AF & AM; and Hampton Elks Lodge #366 B.P.O.E.

Mr. Forrest served on Virginia Marine Resources Commission, and was a director of the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. He worked as a draftsman for 11 years with Newport News Shipbuilding, and was manager of Chesapeake Crab Company for 26 years. Mr. Forrest graduated from Randolph-Macon College in 1939 with a bachelor of science degree in chemistry. While a student, he was a member of the Washington Literary Society and Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. He was a member of the society of Alumni Board in the 1980s and active on the Alumni Development Commission and the Executive Commission. He was member of the Randolph-Macon College Tidewater Commission for the College's Heritage Campaign and served on the 50th Reunion Commission for the Class of 1939. He was president of the Randolph-Macon College Old Grads in 1996.

Mr. Forrest was preceded in death by his parents, George S. Forrest Sr. and Nettie Smith Forrest; and a son-in-law, Donald W. Hirschberg. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Lucille H. Forrest; two daughters, Sandra F. Lawson and husband, Donald, and Nancy F. Hirschberg; five grandchildren, Kent Lawson and wife, Lynn, Nancy L. Bixler and husband, Jason, Todd F. Lawson and wife, Tracy, Donna H. Palmer and husband, Dave, and Matthew W. Hirschberg; nine great-grandchildren, Erin Lawson, Ashby Lawson, Luci Bixler, Ellie Bixler, Nathan Lawson, Leah Lawson, Julie Palmer, Kristen Palmer and Zachary Palmer; a brother, Aldrich S. "Shim" Forrest and wife, Margaret; a niece, Betsy Forrest; and numerous family and friends.