Bill James Forgey, of Gateway, Arkansas passed away at his home on August 27, 2024 at the age of 78.
Bill was born on September 30, 1945 in Stella, Missouri to parents Clement Eugene “Gene” and Beulah Elizabeth Forgey. He lived on the farm that was homesteaded by his family in 1860 with his parents, one older brother, Bob and two younger sisters, Linda and Vicki. Later, they moved to Southwest City, Missouri where he attended high school. He enjoyed playing basketball and baseball. When asked if he was any good, he replied, “Yes, but I was a big fish in a little pond.”
After graduating high school, he married his high school sweetheart, Sherry “Jeanne” Womack. He took a job with the railroad, travelling around the country for several years. After his grandmother died, he purchased the farm and moved to Springdale, working as a mechanic at night and remodeling the farmhouse during the day, while babysitting his 5-year-old daughter, Gina. When it was completed, the family moved to Gateway. One year later, his son, Greg was born.
For the majority of his career, he worked as a mechanic and Union Steward for Teamsters at Jones Truck Lines in Springdale until it closed. He completed his career as a truck driver. After retiring, he continued to farm. Beginning with his first purchase of 10 Holstein steers, he purchased and bred many cows, ending with a herd of over 100 Limousin/Angus cows that any farmer would be proud to own. He and his neighbor, Leo Ash, were a formidable team, helping each other on the farm and in the hayfield.
He loved to hunt quail and pheasant. He and his hunting buddies traveled each year to Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota and made many new friends. Most of their hunting stories began with “We were in this bar and…”
He also enjoyed NASCAR racing and was a big fan of Dale Earnhardt, Sr. He bought an RV and traveled to watch several big races.
In his later years, his sister, Vicki and her son, Daniel, moved nearby to help him. His neighbor, Rick Robinson, who was like a son to him, also came daily to help. As his battle with breast cancer sapped his strength, other neighbors also helped him with the daily chores required to run the farm.
Bill was a creator, always visualizing how to make something better. He was a practical joker and a great friend. He was generous and knew how to have fun. When asked to summarize his time on earth in one sentence, he said, “I had a great life.”
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Robert Gene Forgey.
He is survived by his daughter, Gina and her family, Nat McKerley, Abigail, Micheal and Benjamin Smith, Zack and Megan McKerley, Hannah and Jimmy Chaniyara, Grace McKerley and Jarred Swenson; his son, Greg and his family, Robin, Courtney, Billy, Rylann, and Anniston Deeb, Cady and Amin Kadah, and Camryn Forgey and Drew Tummins; his sister, Linda Follett, his sister, Vicki Johnson and her family, Daniel Johnson, Julie Nordby, Peyton Nordby, Brody and Harper Johnson and cousin, Shirley Davis. Friends who will miss him are too numerous to count.
The family wants to send a special thank you to everyone who helped him keep the farm going when he wasn’t physically able to do it alone and to the Circle of Life Hospice, who allowed him to spend his last days where he wanted to be, at his farm.
Graveside services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Roller Ridge Cemetery in Gateway, Arkansas, under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville. Rod Garmon, a fellow hunting enthusiast will conduct the service. A celebration of life will follow at Bill’s home.
The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M. Friday at Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville.
You can shed tears that he is gone,
Or you can smile because he lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that he will come back,
Or you can open your eyes and see all that he has left.
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see him,
Or you can be full of the love that you shared.
You can remember him, only that he is gone,
Or you can cherish his memory and let him live on.
FOHN FUNERAL HOME
Cassville, Missouri
417-847-2141
