Dr. Raymond L Forbes Jr.'s Obituary
Dr. Raymond L Forbes Jr., 88, passed away in his home in Gahanna, Ohio, on November 1st. Following a sudden leukemia diagnosis, he chose to receive hospice care with Zusman Community Hospice. He passed peacefully, surrounded physically and in spirit by his loving family, including wife Carolyn Forbes, daughter Cathy Forbes, son-in-law David Wiggins, granddaughter Jordan Wiggins, daughter Lisa Myus, son-in-law Walter Myus, granddaughter Lydia Myus, and grandson Charles Myus. Also present was his “adopted” granddaughter, Lane Piska, his 2 dogs (Audie and Misha), cat (Gingie Boots), Navy memorabilia, and his extensive wizard collection, outmatched in magnitude only by his collection of books.
Ray was a devoted husband of 50 years to Carolyn (Goodhand) Forbes. They met on a blind date and later married in San Diego. Their life together consisted of enjoying the arts, family, pets, and one another. A kind and compassionate father to Cathy and Lisa, he was immensely proud of Cathy’s attainment of a doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine as well as Lisa’s achievement of a Master’s in Rehab Counseling. A loving grandfather, known as Papa, to Lydia, Charlie, and Jordan, he was excited by his grandchildren’s unique accomplishments and spoke highly and lovingly about each of them.
Dr. Forbes was born in Gary, Indiana, Sept 19, 1937, to Dorothy Van Horn and Raymond L. Forbes Sr. He decided in the 6th grade that he would attend the Naval Academy and made it his young life’s mission to meet that goal.
In 1959, at the age of 22, Ray earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the United States Naval Academy. He spent 20 honorable years in the Navy, the first half of which he served on several ships and submarines, including the USS Grouper and the USS George C. Marshall, ultimately as an Executive Officer. In the latter half of his naval career, he was tapped to help modernize and enhance leadership training for naval officers. He served for three years as an Instructor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.
His commitment to education was unwavering. Dr. Forbes earned the Master of Business Administration from the University of New Haven, and both the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership and Human Behavior from the United States International University.
Dr. Forbes distinguished himself in the corporate sector during 16 years of executive service with Raymark Corporation and Northwest Airlines.
With exceptional contributions in his 32 years at Franklin University, including four terms as Faculty Senate President, and a key leader in creating the Master of Business Administration program. Thereby, he helped shape generations of business leaders and was likewise instrumental in the creation and advancement of the MBA in Psychology.
Over the years, Dr. Forbes fostered rare and meaningful bonds of mentorship and mutual learning with colleagues who became cherished friends, including Dr. David Decker, Dr. Andy Igonor, Carl Brown, and Christi Cabungcal, who are just a few among many.
His greatest legacy is his commitment to learning in order to better himself and those around him. Let us all remember Ray, and continue a legacy that knows no time limit, by always learning and always teaching. To continue the work he cared so deeply about, the Dr. Raymond L. Forbes Commitment to Learning Scholarship has been established at the link , http://Franklin.edu/drforbes. The family welcomes your donations to support this scholarship for life-long learning.
A Celebration of Life will be held in the Ross Auditorium at Franklin University, tentatively set for January 28, 2026. Further information will be posted here, as well as electronic invitations. Dr. Forbes' ashes will be scattered by his family in the Pacific Ocean along the San Diego coast, the place where he spent many proud years in the Navy and met his wife, Carolyn.
Resting on Dr. Forbes’ desk was Light and Shadows, an English translation of poetry from Juan Ramón Jiménez.“With the Rose,” its pages quietly marked, perhaps a final gift for us to imagine Dr. Forbes at peace on his next journey:
No, this pleasant afternoon
I cannot stay inside;
this free afternoon
I must go out in the air.
Into the laughing air
Opening through the trees,
Thousands of loves,
profound and waving.
The roses wait for me
bathing their flesh.
Nothing can keep me here;
I will not stay inside
What’s your fondest memory of Raymond?
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