Joseph Forest

Joseph Forest, 77, of Auburn passed away Monday, June 24, 2024, at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center after a courageous battle with cancer.

Born December 11,1946 in Manchester, NH, Joseph was the son of George E Forest & Opal K Murray Forest. He graduated from Weymouth High School in 1964, Assumption College in 1971 and then earned his master's degree in education from Rivier College. He met his lifelong love, Denise (Brunelle) Forest whom he wed in 1972. They shared 52 wonderful years of marriage.

Joseph worked many jobs over the years in the food industry, at the Union Leader and was an adjunct teacher at Hesser College and Chester College.

Joseph was a kind person who relished meeting new people and engaging in lively conversation. His interests were wide and varied. He was an active member at Brookside Congregational Church where he put his passion for music into singing in the choir and where he enjoyed being a member of the No Green Bananas retired men's group. He loved sports and was an avid Manchester United fan. He enjoyed working with young people and put that passion to work coaching soccer at Manchester East Soccer League, Manchester United Soccer Club, Merrimack High School and Hesser College. He enthusiastically embraced the role of assisting newly arrived refugees, helping them to learn English as well as how to learn more about our culture. He loved poetry and had recently started writing his own poetry again over the past couple of years. He was also a member of the NH Poetry Society.

Above all, Joseph loved and was proud of his family. He spent many hours with his grandchildren, watching them play sports, dance and attending their various events. He loved to garden always sharing vegetables and strawberries that he and Denise grew.

Joseph was a loving husband, father, brother, uncle and grandfather. He is survived by his wife Denise; son Jeremy and his wife Cantrece of Stratham; son Keith and his wife Jamie of Gilford; grandchildren Carter, Logan, Gavin, Caraden & Kendall; brother Jonathan Forest & his wife Patricia of Peach Tree City, GA; four nieces and several grandnephews and grandnieces.

SERVICES: A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, June 30th at 11:00 am at Brookside Congregational Church, 2013 Elm Street, Manchester, NH. A reception will immediately follow the celebration at the Manning House in Manchester.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Joseph's name may be made to the Griffin Free Public Library in Auburn, NH.