Forte, Henry

Eulogy by Fletcher Srygley, Thursday, June 22, 2006, at Living Word Community Church, former home of Otter Creek Church of Christ

Henry Forte was a true gentleman. Gracious, dignified, honest, generous, gentle, compassionate, kind, patient. A man of intelligence and integrity. A man possessing a subtle sense of humor. It is fitting that we are at the old home of Otter creek today, because this is where many of us saw him most regularly. He was here early this year as we met for the last times in this building. Henry was not a flashy, self-absorbed man who expected others to turn to acknowledge his presence as he entered the sanctuary. He came in quietly and spoke gently but graciously to those around him. He was both dignified and enthusiastic in his response to those around him. In most recent times, when

his health was often a point of inquiry, he always responded with a smile and a positive remark. He was truly a gentleman.

Henry was interested in ideas and in people. Whenever I visited Henry and Imogene, the conversations were wide ranging. I’m sure that does not surprise you. They loved Otter Creek, and at some point the discussion always turned to what was happening at Otter Creek. Because of travel, taking care of Imogene’s mother, and health issues, they were not with us as much as they would like to have been in recent times. Henry and Imogene have been members at Otter Creek longer than almost anyone who now attends our congregation; and they remember when this was a church in the country, and almost everyone knew everyone else. While they always had questions about the status of the anticipated move, it was clear that their hearts, particularly that of Henry, were here and they did not relish a longer di\rive to church and were apprehensive that a larger Otter Creek would lose the sense of family. I always assured them that we recognized the validity of their concerns and were committed to maintain the sense of community. So, it is fitting that we pay our respects to Henry on this corner of Granny White and Otter Creek, where he worshiped for so many years.

Henry was an engineer. A good engineer as we have just been reminded. Engineers build. And not just structures, as I was reminded when Lipscomb started and engineering program. Someone asked Dr. Gilliam why he left a good position at the University of Tennessee to come to a small school and begin a school of engineering, and his response was, “Engineers build things. I want to build an engineering school.” After graduating from Vanderbilt, Henry built strong buildings and stable bridges that still stand in tribute to his skill. But after that thirty-year career, he began another career which would last another thirty years. Perhaps to many, it seemed quite a leap that such a man, a builder, would leave an engineering practice to run an educational publishing firm, but perhaps Henry saw it as another venue in which to build. And build he did. Imogene may have been a creative genius, but it was Henry’s business acumen that allowed the company to thrive. Their beautifully dovetailing talents resulted in a business that is now nationally known and respected.

Many of us have enjoyed Henry’s telling of his story of courting a very young Imogene and his successful efforts at impressing her protective father. He would speak the story softly, with tenderness and joy. On that early foundation of attraction and admiration, Henry built a relationship with Imogene that lasted six decades and was as vibrant at the end as it was at the beginning. For two people who spent both their personal and professional lives so entwined with one another, there was a cruel irony when they discovered that they had what Imogene called “couples cancer,” certainly an unhappy event in their sixth decade together, but they both walked this path with the strength of faith and with gratitude for lives blessed in such extraordinary ways. How many get to be great-grandparents with the energy to take twin boys on outings to the park and ice cream parlors. These twin boys and their baby sister were the gifts of their granddaughter Jennifer to BB and Mama BB. How many men have two thirty-year careers that they love and in which they excel? And in that second career as the technical half of Incentive Publications, he was blessed to work with a group of people who became an extended family.

Before all these adventures, a childhood in a large, loving family and an ongoing romance with Imogene, and the love of both their lives, their daughter Cherrie. Blessings shaken down, pressed down, and running over. But even so he faced a challenge as anyone would when assailed by grief, loss, and illness. He got up and with God’s good gifts to him, he lived his remaining year with purpose, kindness, and humor. And, in some ways this past year was a wonderful

time for Henry. He got to really stretch his wings a little and others got to know him better as an individual. In the sudden quiet left by Imogene’s death, he and Cherrie found much to say to each other. They set to work on seeing to the survival of the company, and they imagined and pulled off a year full of holidays without Imogene’s direction. They did it and laughed and worked and grew closer and cherished the year left to him. The Forte foursome of Bernard, Emmett, Don, and Henry again played golf together, and he and his sister Teresa worshiped together again. And he took his great grandchildren for ice cream. The blessing is that, in spite of the grief and busyness, Henry and his family got the chance to know each other in a new way, and for that, Cherrie, Jennifer, Michael, and all the others are grateful. The irony is that the closer you are to someone, the more difficult the parting.

Henry was indeed a builder. He built a legacy of strength and stability and did it to the very end. In contrast to Imogene’s sudden departure, Henry, engineer-like, did it by the book, stage by stage, surrounded by friends, family, and Hospice professionals. He was on his feet nearly to the end and his drug-assisted days were brief. In the few days Henry was bedridden, his grandson Michael learned for sure why he is big and strong, big and strong to lift and hold.

We can all no doubt remember funeral services that focused little on memories of the one whose life was being celebrated and became instead a sermon to rebuke those perceived by the speaker as wayward. It is not my intent to judge any of you here to be wayward. But there is a sermon to be heard today, not from me, but from the life of Henry. A Christian gentleman who lived all those virtues we are called to.

Last Sunday, Tim Woodroof, our minister at Otter Creek, spoke on kindness as a virtue too lacking in this society. As Tim and the congregation read together scriptures on kindness and other Christian virtues, several of us could not help thinking how they describe Henry Forte, a man who truly demonstrated kindness. Let us honor this man as we listen to these scriptures:

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Eph. 4:32

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self- control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 2 Peter 1:5-7

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. I Cor. 13:4

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

Men like Henry whose most important construction is the monument of their personal character. Men like Henry, who live their life with kindness as their nature and their law, surely change the world as Christ would have us to. Henry walked his path with daily, robust, and intentional kindness, and he lived and died in the firm hope of the resurrection. Lord, let it be so for all of us. Amen.

Having lived long in time, he lives now in timelessness without sorrow, made perfect by our never finished love, by our compassion and forgiveness, and by his happiness in receiving these gifts we give. Here in time we are added to one another forever. (To My Father--Wendell Berry, from ENTRIES)