Imogene W. Forsythe

Imogene Waltz Forsythe, a resident of Olympia Fields, Illinois for more than 40 years, died on Saturday, February 20, 2021 from the effects of Alzheimer's disease, one month shy of her 94th birthday.

Imogene was born in Brownsville, Pennsylvania on March 15, 1927, the only child of Jess B. and Irene (Dunkle) Waltz, and lived in Pennsylvania throughout her youth, where her father, Jess, worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Of her Waltz, Dunkle and Exline ancestors in Pennsylvania, at least two fought for the Union during the Civil War, and one, Jacob Exline, died in Andersonville Prison in September 1864. Imogene was a 1945 graduate of Altoona (PA) High School. After graduation, she worked for the Bell Telephone Company in Altoona, until she moved to East Orange, New Jersey in 1949, where she worked for Bell Telephone and was a student at Eastern Christian Institute.

In the Fall of 1949, she met Richard G. Forsythe in the Sunday morning service at Central Christian Church in East Orange, New Jersey. They were married on June 3, 1950 at the First Church of Christ in Altoona.

After the Korean War erupted, Richard served in the Navy and was stationed at North Island Naval Air Station in Coronado, California. After the war, they returned to New Jersey. Imogene raised three children during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s while moving at least six times for Richard's work with the Sherwin Williams Company. With each move, Imogene was outgoing and resourceful, getting involved in a local Christian Church and in a Bible study, and hosting dinners for neighbors, friends, and her husband's business associates. Until her last years, she communicated with dozens of friends through Christmas cards.

Imogene was a committed student of the Bible and a devoted member of Christian Churches in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana. She was a devoted Bible School teacher and church choir member for decades. Imogene visited the Holy Lands three times between 1972-1987, including Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and Israel. Imogene was committed to prayer and to domestic and international Christian missions, which she supported generously for years.

Imogene was also an excellent cook and enjoyed hosting large family meals at Thanksgiving and Christmas. In her later years, she enjoyed teaching, reading, and cooking with her grandchildren. She had a rich life, fulfilled by an eternal perspective.

She fought Alzheimer's disease for many years. During the past 26 months, while dementia advanced relentlessly, she was a resident at Sunrise Senior Living in Flossmoor, Illinois, where she received excellent care from their devoted staff.

Imogene is survived by her husband of 70 years, Richard, a resident of Homewood, Illinois, three married children—Christine Greene (Alan) of Marseilles, IL, Clarke Forsythe (Karen) of Homewood, IL, and William Forsythe (Brenda) of Newnan, Georgia—eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

A celebration of Imogene's life will be held at 9:30am on Monday, March 1, 2021, at Hickory Creek Church, 10660 Lincoln Hwy, Frankfort, IL, with time to meet with the family preceding at 9:00am. A private family burial will follow at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Ellwood, Illinois.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Imogene's name to Americans United for Life in Washington, DC and to Cedar Classical Academy in Lansing, Michigan