Ned L DeForrest

Ned DeForrest was born in Three Springs, Pennsylvania on January 22, 1939, and died on February 7, 2026, at the age of 87.

Ned was the son of Robert Fiann DeForrest and Mary Elizabeth Cohick DeForrest. He was predeceased by his brother Ronald C. DeForrest. Ned is survived by his wife of 58 years JoAnn (Farinella) DeForrest, his son Ned Leon (Lee) DeForrest of Key West, Robert Fian (Bob) DeForrest and his partner Crystal Hitchings of Cherryfield, Maine, and his grandchildren Jaina Dallas and Jad DeForrest. Ned was a loving brother-in-law to Margaret (Peg) DeForrest, Carol Jean Snell and the late Rosemarie Minella and uncle to many nieces and nephews.

His talents were boundless. He grew up in Central PA and was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hike, fish and hunt through the woods behind his childhood home. He even fabricated his own bows and guns that he hunted with. He could thrive creatively in any medium - wood, metal, acrylic, leather, canvas, charcoal, pen and ink and much more.

He built and crafted cabinets, chairs, a gazebo, a bunk bed, desks, a teddy bear and even the chandelier that greeted you when you walked into the family's Ben Avon home that he meticulously renovated.

He was a model builder, draftsman and designer for Peter Muller Munk Associates / Wilbur Smith & Associates for 42 years. He built the approval model of the Unisphere for the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair. Midway through his work on the Unisphere he was drafted into the Army where he served for two years. He came back to work for PMMA and problem solved the treatment of the continents for the finished piece which still stands today in Flushing Meadows. He worked on the designing and space planning for the original Executive Level of the US Steel Building in downtown Pittsburgh, he did product design, and wayfinding signage for public transportation including the San Francisco Trolley System.

His brilliant mind and creativity never waned even in retirement when you could very often find him in his basement workshop working on project after project. During Covid he reconnected with his love of drawing and produced an extraordinary amount of work over the past 6 years.

Ned did all of this and so much more but what he'll most be remembered for is his warmth, kindness, and love of life. He adored his grandchildren, deeply loved his family and treasured his time with friends. He was an extremely patient man; he had a wry sense of humor and loved to laugh. Ned had many hobbies and passions in life, but there was nothing he loved more than spending time with friends and family laughing.

The family wishes to thank everyone for their support and condolences and will be planning gatherings in the coming months to celebrate Ned.