Robert Porter Jr. -age - 91 - Los Alamos Forrest

Robert Porter Forrest Jr, 91, passed away on Tuesday, July 22, 2014 due to complications of pneumonia. Bob was born February 16, 1923 in Mexia, Texas to Robert Porter Forrest, Sr. and Getrude Matilda VonKlug Forrest. He went to Texas A & M; then after WWII he graduated from NM State A & M (now NMSU) with a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering. He later earned his master’s in Mechanical Engineering at NMSU. When WWII started the army recruited Bob’s entire class at Texas A & M-he graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant and went to war. The platoon he was in charge of, got captured by the Germans in the Battle of the Buldge. Bob was prisoner of war until he escaped. He was discharged and settled in Las Cruces and graduated from NM State A & M. He married his high school sweetheart Bettye Ruth Krudwig in January 1944 before the war, then had their son, Robert D. when Bob came back from the war. They divorced, then Bob married Barbara on December 15, 1952. They had two daughters, Samantha and Lynne. Bob was employed at El Paso Natural Gas; Kirtland Air Force Base; Zia CO.; then LASL, which is now LANL. He was a Mechanical Engineer at the Lab and was acting Group Leader for a while. He retired from the Lab in 1988. Bob was avid at fishing and golf, and was a very accomplished bridge player earning 2 Life Masters, which is the highest rating in duplicate bridge. Because of his love of cards he was very good at any card game, and was practically impossible to beat! Most of all, Bob loved his family first and foremost. Bob’s wife of 58 years, Barbara Jean Henry Forrest preceded him death, as did his brother Lieutenant General John F. Forrest and his grandson Adrian Romero. He is survived by his children, Robert Dean Forrest and wife Cissie, Samantha Susan Barbara Rense and husband Charles, and Vicky Lynne F. Taylor and husband Wayne; his grandchildren, Forrest Harmony and wife Lindsey, Nathan Harmony and wife Liz, Kyle Forrest, Shayna Forrest, Ayla Taylor, Dustin Taylor, and Chloe Darnell; four great-grandchildren, Alyson and Kaylee Harmony, Alaina and Madelyn Harmony. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 2, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at the United Church, 2525 Canyon Rd. in Los Alamos. Bob and his wife Barbara will be buried at the Veteran’s National Cemetery at a later date. The family of Robert Porter Forrest Jr. has entrusted the care of their loved one to the DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Española Valley.\r\n

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