Frank Paul Forbath

Frank Forbath lived a wonderful, category-defying life. A brilliant engineer with degrees from UCLA and Stanford, he emanated humility, celebrating others' successes rather than his own. Raised in poverty by a single mom, his greatest joy was rearing seven happy, fun-loving children with his beloved bride of 58 years, Jean Swain Forbath. A shipboard naval officer during World War II, Frank evolved into a peace activist, proudly joining Veterans for Peace and marching against war. Frank was a man of principle and passion, a champion of the poor, especially the migrant farm workers who toiled in the shadow of South Coast Plaza during the 1970's and 80's. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Frank moved his young family to Costa Mesa in 1962. He and Jean soon embarked on a path of community activism, touching lives throughout Orange County and beyond. Motivated by their Catholic faith, especially the Church's rich social justice tradition, Frank and Jean led a parish movement to address the root causes of poverty in Orange County. Through their joint leadership, Share Our Selves (SOS) was born in 1970. It remains Orange County's largest private charity. For nearly two decades, Frank spearheaded SOS's farm worker project, bringing access to health care, legal assistance, Saturday night mass, Christmas parties and regular social connection for isolated men living in barracks far from home. Frank encouraged his children and grandchildren to "change the world." He was a hero, fighting against racial discrimination in housing in the 1960's, leading his children on picket lines in support of the United Farm Workers' grape and lettuce boycotts, and flying to Fort Benning, Georgia, while in his 80's to participate in an act of civil disobedience aimed at closing the infamous "School of the Americas." In 2014, the Orange County Human Relations Commission recognized Frank and Jean as "civil rights heroes" by honoring them with the Commission's first "Legacy Award." Even at 90, Frank was still actively engaged in changing the world. Professionally, Frank had a long and distinguished career in the aerospace industry. He began at the RAND Corporation and went on to work at Hughes Aircraft and Northrop Corporation, among other companies. Boundlessly curious and creative, Frank was a life-long inventor and diligently documented ideas in his handy "engineering notebook." He held several US and International patents, including one for the "Birthwatch," used in the birth of each Forbath grandchild. Kind and welcoming to all, endlessly proud of his 7 children, 5 children-in-law, and 15 grandchildren, and profoundly in love with his Jean, who was his anchor, his perfect partner, his best friend, Frank Forbath will be deeply missed by many. In a life filled with blessings, at 90 Frank received a final gift of dying peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, on Sept. 2. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Frank's name to the National Farm Worker Ministry, P.O. Box 10645, Raleigh, North Carolina 27605. A memorial mass is set for September 25 at 10 A.M. at Sts. Simon and Jude Catholic Church, 20444 Magnolia St., Huntington Beach.