Vandye Joseph Forrester III

1942 - 2025

Vandye Joseph Forrester III

September 19, 1942 - January 8, 2025

Garden Valley, Idaho - Vandye Joseph Forrester III, Author, Professor, Speaker.

University professor, author, and internationally acclaimed motivational speaker Vandye Joseph Forrester III, 82, passed away of natural causes surrounded by his devoted family and friends on January 8, 2025. Vandye was born on September 19, 1942, in Columbus, Georgia.

Vandye was the son of Vandye J. Forrester Jr., a photo engraver for the Miami Herald and Eleanor Stimpson Forrester.

Early in life, Vandye was ambitious academically, athletically, and was elected as the president of the student Council at Ada Merritt Jr. High School and graduated in 1960 from Coral Gables Senior High School in Coral Gables where he served as the vice president of the Ching Tang fraternity.

Vandye spent his freshman and sophomore years at Miami-Dade College North Campus earning an Associate of Arts degree and was an award-winning debater winning the State of Florida College Individual Oratory championship at a Southern Speech Association tournament held at Florida State University in 1962.

Higher education was calling and Vandye spent his junior year at the University of Oklahoma, where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and finished his senior year with his Bachelor of Arts degree in speech communication at the University of Miami in Coral Gables in 1964.

The business world entailed Vandye becoming a public relations and advertising professional for the Howard J. Rubinstein Associates Public Relations Agency, NYC, J. Walter Thompson Agency, NYC, Burson-Marsteller Agency, NYC, and Lobsenz-Stevens PR Agency, NYC, and the Grand Cayman News Bureau in the British West Indies.

Vandye's business writing has been published in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, New York Journal of Commerce, Los Angeles Times, Palm Springs, CA Desert Sun, and the Chicago Tribune.

Public speaking led Vandye to teach classes with the American Management Association and the Public Relations Society of America where he helped professionals with presentations and professional pitches and sales. He became a member of the 1965 Toastmasters Roughriders club in New York City and honed his presentation skills even further. He was a Toastmaster for 60 years and earned the Distinguished Toastmasters award.

Vandye was the executive speechwriter for Marshall McDonald the Chairman of the Board for Florida Power and Light and created public relation films for the solicitation of future energy professionals. He was presented the W. Edwards Demming Award for creating a business productivity plan for Florida Power and Light in Tokyo by the Japanese government.

Business pursuits lead to the teaching excellence award by the International Communication Association in Sydney, Australia and the Gold Quill for Speechwriting award by the International Association of Business Communicators in Chicago.

Vandye's true calling was to become a university professor after earning his Masters of Arts Degree in Speech Communication studies from California State University Long Beach in 1994. Vandye studied under the guidance of thesis director Dr. Craig R. Smith and wrote his Master's Thesis on "Rhetorical Theory in Plato's Gorgias."

Vandye helped many students come out of their shell and expand their speaking abilities for professional and interpersonal settings at Long Beach State and was elected Graduate Teaching Assistant of The Year by the faculty. As a professional educator, Vandye taught communication classes at the University of California, Los Angeles, Santa Monica College, Long Beach College, College of Western Idaho, and the University of Phoenix. Vandye was unanimously elected by the U. of Phoenix graduating seniors and the faculty to deliver their final commencement address.

Vandye's love of training students included serving as a scoutmaster for 40 years for Boy Scout troops in five states as well as the Wood Badge Assistant Course leader and Order of the Arrow Assistant Lodge Advisor in Idaho.

Vandye inspired students at Cascade School, Cole Valley Christian School, Compass Charter School, and Project Patch in Garden Valley ID with inspiring life skills.

Vandye was an active member of the Garden Valley Museum Committee, the Fourth of July Committee, the Garden Valley Chamber of Commerce, The Garden Valley Center of the Arts, Friends of the Library in Garden Valley, and he enjoyed the performances of the Starlight Mountain Theater and the Boise Philharmonic.

Vandye is survived by his adoring wife of 28 years, Vondi Forrester of Garden Valley, Idaho, son Vandye J. Forrester IV and daughter-in-law Marianna of Nampa, Idaho, granddaughters Jo Backus (Shane) and Savannah Forrester of Nampa, Idaho, and Lieutenant Vandye J. Forrester V (Kim), USN.

Vandye was also predeceased by his older sister Kathleen Rouse of Cape Charles, Virginia and her five daughters.

Vandye was baptized and confirmed in St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Coconut Grove, Florida. He also made his Cursillo #22 in Pompano Beach Florida. Vandye served as an usher at All Saints' Anglican Church in Long Beach CA from 1996 through 2003. He was a faithful and committed Christian who loved to inspire young people to reach for the stars. He was a member of Crouch Community Church in Garden Valley ID.

A celebration of life service will be held at Crouch Community Church, 8 One Way Ln., Garden Valley ID on Saturday, February 8, at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Crouch Community Church or the Garden Valley Center of the Arts. Summers Funeral Home (208) 898-0642.