ALEXANDER FORGER

FORGER--Alexander D. Alexander D. Forger died on March 9, 2025, at his residence in White Plains at age 102. He was predeceased by his first wife of 47 years, Nancy; survived by their four children James (Deborah) of Okemos, Michigan; Sally Bergquist of Arlington, Virginia; Martha Fishbein (Jeffrey) of Arlington, Virginia; and John of Larchmont, New York; grandchildren Sarah (Michael Wilcheck) of Darien, Connecticut; Alex Fishbein (Gina Armstrong) of Richmond, Virginia; Alex Forger of Hawaii; Alex Bergquist (Zoe) of Morris Plains, New Jersey; Katie Fishbein (Eli Kosarin) of Glasgow, Virginia; Dana Lespierre (David) of Arlington, Virginia; and Eric Bergquist of Franklin, New Jersey; predeceased by his second wife Fern Schair of 28 years; survived by stepson Adam (Julie) of Scarsdale, New York; stepdaughter Alison Trigona of White Plains, New York; step- grandson Samuel and step- granddaughter Abby of Scarsdale, New York; and step-granddaughter Emma Trigona of White Plains. Alex loved each one of his two families and was dedicated to his professional life in trust and estates and his volunteer life in promoting access to justice. He was born in Manhattan in February 1923 and raised in Yonkers, New York, attending public school through high school before graduating from Princeton University and Yale Law School. His college years were interrupted by three years of military service in WWII, spending time in the European theatre as a combat infantryman, following in the footsteps of his father who served in the infantry in WWI. Both were decorated for efforts in saving wounded comrades. Following graduation from Yale Law, he entered Milbank Tweed serving his clients and retiring 42 years later after having served 8 years as chairman of the firm. He was known for diversifying the firm's practice both as to locations, issues of law, as well as lawyers of the firm. He also continued and served clients after retirement. Simultaneous with private practice he became president of the State Bar, president and chair of the Legal Aid Society, New York City AIDS project, member, Board of Trustees Rockefeller University, 20 years as director of Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and director and chair of the board of the New York Law School. Upon retiring from Milbank, Alex went to Washington, D.C. as president of the federally funded Legal Services Corporation after he became chair of the Interfaith Alliance and later he became a member for 10 years of the New York Commission of Access to Justice. He and wife Nancy entered local community work, politics and enjoyed raising a family. Thereafter he and Fern pursued the cause of justice for all from many vantage points including bar associations, law firms, law schools and the state of New York court system. Alex joined Fern in receiving many recognitions in their lives devoted to justice. He received among others the American Lawyers Lifetime Achievement, the Servant of Justice for Legal Aid Society, Gold Medal of New York State Bar, David Rockefeller Medal of Rockefeller University, the award of National Probate Judges, and the Yale Law School Alumni Award of Merit. Funeral services are private at his request as he will be buried at the Larchmont Avenue Church in Larchmont, New York, the village where he enjoyed living for 40 years.