Mary Jane (Sally) Forge passed away peacefully at home on January 16, 2019, after a long and slow decline from Dementia. She was 88. Sally was born in Prosser in 1930 to Homer and Nina Helfer. She had 1 brother, Lyle, and 2 sisters, Erma Jean and Charlotte. All have preceded her in death. Sally grew up in Goldendale, then moved to Walla Walla and eventually moved to Yakima. Sally worked as a waitress at the Chinook Hotel and later moved to the banquet department as a server and bartender. It was at the Chinook Hotel where Sally met Bud Forge, whom she married in March of 1962. Then in 1971, Bud and Sally moved their family to Lewiston, ID where Bud took a job at the Lewis-Clark Hotel and Sally took a job at JC Penney. In 1974, the family moved back to Yakima. Soon after, Sally found employment with the Yakima School District as a teacher aide at AC Davis High School. She worked in the laundry department, taking care of all the athletic departments uniforms and towels. Sally spent 19 great years working at Davis until she retired in 1995. In March of 2012, Bud and Sally celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, just 2 months before Bud passed away. Now Sally has entered the loving embrace of her husband, parents and siblings in heaven.
Sally was strong, independent and sassy! We called her our Energizer Bunny because she just kept going and going and going. She always made us smile with her quick wit. And when mom came home on hospice care in May of 2017, there was no shortage of her spunk or ornery spirit. If you asked her how she was feeling she would reply “I’m mean and ornery!” She kept her kids and the caregivers on their toes. We sure do miss her!!
Holding her memory in their hearts are Sally’s children: Shelley (Arne), Mike (Liz), Chuck (Tim) , Cindy (Bob) and Jennifer (Royce); her niece Bobbie Jean; 3 grandchildren: Cheryl, Mike and Brian; 4 great grandchildren: Kyle, Rebecca, Brianna and Aislinn; along with other family members and friends.
Sally’s children would like to extend a big “thank you” to the nursing staff and bath aides at Heartlinks Hospice and Palliative Care, who helped us manage mom’s care her last 18 months at home. And to our AMAZING caregivers, who stayed with mom 24/7. THANK YOU for helping the family with round the clock care, making sure mom was comfortable and for giving her such great love and attention. We are truly grateful for each of you! You’ve been a blessing to our family.
There will be no services. The family will be making plans for a “celebration of life” to be held later this spring or early summer.