Rev. William deForest

1937 - 2019

Rev. William deForest, 82, passed away on Wednesday, August 14 after a long illness and a brief hospital stay. Born in Albany, New York, on May 5, 1937, he was the fourth son of Mulford and Grace (Rohrer) deForest. He was a graduate of Duanesburg Central High School, Central University of Iowa and Western Theological Seminary in Holland Michigan. He served for seven years as pastor of the Pultneyville Reformed Church in western New York, and then for 31 years at the Lynnwood Reformed Church in Guilderland, until the year, 2000, retiring then, to his home in the hills of Duanesburg where his heart was at peace. Loving the natural world, he was hunter, fisherman, gardener, camper, and hiker. Loving his family, he was a collector of historic facts, stories and heirlooms. Loving the church, he found his years of ministry to be deeply satisfying. He was predeceased by his parents and a brother, David. Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Carole (Sutton); his three children, David, (Chie) of Tinton Falls, New Jersey; Wendy, (Tom Butler) of Huntington, Vermont; and Jonathan, (Lynn) of Duanesburg; two grandchildren, Grace and Larson Butler; two brothers, Carroll, (Betty) of Gray Hawk, Kentucky, and Robert, (Mary), of Holland, Michigan; and many nieces and nephews. A memorial service for Rev. deForest will be held on Monday, August 19th at 10 a.m. at Lynnwood Reformed Church, 3714 Carman Road, Schenectady, NY 12303. Visitation for family and friends will be held on Sunday evening, August 18th from 6 to 8 p.m. at Bond Funeral Home, Broadway & Guilderland Avenue, Schenectady, NY. Interment in Schenectady Memorial Park will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Will's memory to the Lynnwood Reformed Church, 3714 Carman Road, Schenectady, NY 12303. To leave a condolence or a message for Will's family, please visit www.bondfuneralhome.com.