John D. Forester

John D. Forester, a former Antietam School Board member, died Nov. 13 at 7:50 a.m. shortly after being admitted to Reading Hospital.

Forester, 83, a resident of Phoebe-Berks Village, Wernersville, formerly of North 26th Street, Pennside, was the husband of Alice L. (DeLong) Forester.

He was treasurer of the Antietam School Board from 1966 to 1970.

Born in Manhasset, Long Island, N. Y., he was the son of the late David. S. and Blanche (McHugh) Forester.

Forester was a charter member and former president of the Antietam Kiwanis Club.

An Army veteran of World War II, he was a member of the 10th Mountain Division special forces and a recipient of the Bronze Star.

In 1997, Forester and former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole, also a Bronze Star recipient serving in the 10th Mountain Division at the battle of the Apennine Mountains in Italy, were honored by the organizers of the first Patriot Lecture Series at which Dole was the keynote speaker.

Forester had been a real estate agent working at several brokerages from 1966 until his retirement in 1983. Prior to that he had been production manager of the Georgia-Pacific paper company until 1965.

A 1937 graduate of Mount Penn High School, Forester attended University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business and the University of Florence, Italy.

He is also survived by a daughter, Dr. Mary A. Forester, Madison, Wis.; and four sons: D. Michael, Wyomissing; John D. Jr., Kenhorst; Thomas D., Farmington Hills, Mich.; and Philip E., Exeter Township.

Other survivors include 13 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday morning at 10 in Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, West Reading. Burial will be in Forest Hills Memorial Park, Reiffton. Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home Inc., West Reading, is in charge of arrangements