Ian Forman

Ian Falconar Forman died peacefully at the age of 91 at Masconomet Health Care, Topsfield on Saturday, January 30, 2016. Ian is survived by his wife, Jean G. Forman of Ipswich and his children, Wendy F Copithorne and spouse, Eric Copithorne of Ipswich, Douglas I. Forman and spouse Kimberly Forman of Peabody, Bonnie J. Forman of Newburyport, Susan F. Hochstedler and spouse Rowen Hochstedler of Newburyport, Kenneth N. Forman and spouse Angela Muto of NYC, David Harriman and spouse Mary Harriman of Lutherville Timonium, MD, and grandchildren, Ian A. Copithorne, Emerald Forman and Eden Forman, Sarah Harriman and Emily Harriman. Ian was born on February 28, 1924 in Allahabad, India, the eldest son of Eleanor C. Forman and Kenneth W. Forman, third generation Presbyterian Scottish missionaries living in India. His siblings Kenneth W. Forman and wife Camille Forman, recently deceased of CT; Richard Forman and wife Edna Forman of CT and Edward Forman of CA, deceased. The family moved to Danvers, in 1929. Ian attended Brown University for a year before volunteering as an ambulance driver with the British-Indian Army in Burma with the American Field Service in WWII. He then joined the Armys 106th Infantry Division. While in France he was accepted at the American University to study history then returned home to finish his degree at Yale University. His love of history, politics and writing brought him to his early career days as a Staff Reporter at the Boston Herald Newspaper then to the Boston Globe as a Staff Reporter and Editor of the Boston Sunday Magazine then as Education Editor of the Boston Herald Traveler. Over his thirty year career he won countless writing awards for outstanding state coverage of the Massachusetts public education system. He joined the Massachusetts State College System as a PR director which later lead him to working with the Superintendent of Boston Public Schools for several years. A passion for all levels of government and politics kept his retirement busy reading multiple newspapers each day, staying on top of local, state and national news. He led the largest Ipswich town meeting in town history in getting mosquito control budgeted for the town. After restoring a house on Marblehead harbor, Ian and his wife, Jean restored one of the oldest houses in the country in Ipswich. Many people in Ipswich remember Ian for his amazing humor and the wonderful character he was. Ian loved his five children and five grandchildren and spent many days helping restore houses and landscaping with them. Ian was also a natural arborist and loved planting and watering trees. Due to two strokes, Ian lived at Masconomet Healthcare for ten years. Ian had an amazing outlook on life and taught all of his family and friends the dignity of aging. He read every day and had many visitors. His wife Jean, son Douglas, daughter Susan and friend Stewart Duncan came every day to help with care. The family would like to thank the staff at the Masconomet Health Care for their years of kindness, care and service. A private memorial service will be held in April. In lieu of flowers please send donations to Masconomet Health Care Patient Fund, 123 High Street, Topsfield, MA 01983. Condolences can be emailed through Whittier-Porter Funeral Home at www.whittier-porter.com.