Clinton Coutts FORSTER

1939 - 2024

September 13, 1939 - August 22, 2024 If you knew Clint Forster, you were lucky. If you didn't, hopefully you have someone like him in your life. Someone genuine, gentle, humble and energetic. Hardworking and enterprising - ambitious and unassuming. A loyal friend. Clint was born in Saskatoon City Hospital to Greta May (Coutts) and George Clinton Forster. He grew up with his younger brother, Elgin, on Riverview Farm, pioneered by his grandfather, near Loreburn, Saskatchewan. Clint's work ethic was developed as he tended farm animals and helped with the harvest. Early years of education in a one-room prairie school and then Nutana High School in Saskatoon sparked a lifelong interest in learning. Pitching baseball was his passion, along with figure skating, Boy Scouts, Car Club and YMCA gymnastics. He was President of Nutana choir to earn a half credit, but couldn't hit a note! Jack, the resident farmhand, sparked Clint's interest in radio as they spent many hours together repairing radios. Immediately after high school, Clint headed for Toronto to study communications at DeVry, and that is where he met Carole Green, newly arrived from England, at a Boy Scout, Girl Guide service project. That night, he told his friends he had met the girl he was going to marry. On August 17, 1963, Clint and Carole married in Thistletown United Church and set up house in Kitchener, Ontario, where Clint was working at CKCO TV as a camera-man and sound engineer, and studying Business at Waterloo University. When Clint was tapped on the shoulder to lead a bid for unionizing the TV Station, Clint quickly found a job as Sales Manager with the Cable TV company in Guelph, Ontario. It was there he realized his passion for the new Cable TV industry. His entrepreneurial spirit was awakened, and one night he arrived home to announce that he had quit his job, bought a cherry picker truck with the $2,500 saved to buy a house, and was embarking on a new venture with Dave Gow and Jack Milligan. Noram Communications was born, and Clint became a pioneer in the Cable TV Industry. After many ups and downs, Noram built several Cable systems in Ontario, and eventually Clint and his partners built four Cable Systems of their own, Mississauga, Bramalea, Fergus-Elora and Hanover-Walkerton. Finances were tight as banks were wary of this new industry. Miraculously, one day Ted Rogers appeared at the office, curious about the new Cable TV thing. Typical of Ted, he threw a significant cheque on the desk and offered to buy Bramalea. Ted saved Noram from bankruptcy and he acquired his first Cable TV Company from Clint. In 1974, Clint was awarded Cable TV licenses for several prairie cities, including Saskatoon. He sold the Ontario companies and moved the family to Saskatoon to build Saskatoon Telecable and several others. While in Saskatoon, his love of radio prompted him to buy a bankrupt country music radio station, CJWW, and built it into the number 1 AM station in Saskatchewan. Several other Prairie and one Vancouver radio station were gradually acquired. During the building of businesses, Clint and Carole welcomed three children, Lesley, Paul and Kendra to the family. Always an entrepreneur, Clint and his friend, Ken Brydon, canvassed the neighbourhood, selling pools, and built seven pools which paid for one each for the Forsters and Brydons. The Forster pool was a magnet for all the kids in the area and Carole became the lifeguard. He and Ken bought a Fifth Wheel Camper company out of bankruptcy and proceeded to build Fifth Wheel Campers. Unfortunately, the year following was the year of gas shortages and no one was buying, so that venture didn't last long, just long enough for the family to take some fun camping trips. Clint and Carole met doing a service project and both of them continued community service wherever they lived. In Saskatoon, Clint was co-chair of building a residence for women in need at the YWCA which Prince Charles opened. He also was co-chair of several million-dollar fundraisers to build a new Saskatoon City Hospital. As President of the Saskatoon Rotary Club and lifetime member, he headed many fundraising campaigns. He helped Carole raise funds to build the Saskatchewan Ronald McDonald House and the Saskatoon Girl Guide House. For his business and charity efforts Clint received many awards. Clint was most proud of his term as Chairman of the Canadian Cable TV Association and Chairman of the Saskatoon Board of Trade. He was also proud of the many young people he mentored in the Cable TV, Radio and the Arts. With the sale of Saskatoon Telecable to Shaw Cable, Clint was able to slow down, take stock and move to Victoria, BC, in 1991, where he was able to spend more time on the golf course, take up boating around the Gulf and San Juan Islands, research his ancestry, travel and write his memoir. Not enjoying the gloomy Victoria winters, he and Carole bought a home in Palm Springs and spent over 20 years enjoying the sun and making new friends. Serving on the Shaw Board and also the Corus Entertainment Board, the UVIC Business School Board and helping build the Canadian Parents Against Drugs organization gave him much satisfaction. He and Carole decided to take a portion of their wealth and share it with others. They have supported the Victoria Hospital Foundation, Cancer Research Center, Threshold, New Roads Recovery Center for Men and the new Recovery Center for Women, Anawim Women's Home, First Nations Friendship Center, and Salvation Army, to name a few. They have also set up the Forster Foundation Fund at the Victoria Foundation and the Saskatoon Foundation. To honour Clint, donations to these two funds would be gratefully accepted. Five days before Clint passed away, Clint and Carole celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary surrounded by their children, Lesley (John) Courtney, Kendra (Cory) Rodych, and Paul (Nick Harmon) Forster; grandchildren, Liam (Katie Turay), Jackson (Macy Sargeant) and Quinn (Jesse Gossard) Courtney, Cole (Julia Szarka) and Riley Rodych; and great-grandson, Theodore Courtney. A bittersweet gathering, as it was also time for the family to say their "goodbyes" to their beloved Poppa. Clint passed away peacefully at home, with the help of MAID, comforted by Carole, his children and spouses, and loyal pup, Tula. Also left to mourn are Clint's sister-in-law, Julie Green, her sons, Adam, Josh and Sam Sousa; nephew, Chad (Chantal and Soraya) Forster; and many family and friends. A Celebration of Life will be held for Clint on Sunday, October 6, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. at Uplands Golf Club in Victoria, BC. Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mccallgardens.com.