Touching Heaven

Beautiful trip to White Mountains of New Hampshire, Thank you Family!

a life well lived

On Thursday, my father died. Those three words, my father died, are so unreal to me. How could he be gone? How could he not be just a phone call away? My head and heart just cannot take it in.

My dad was not a perfect man but he was an amazingly good man. Kind, loyal and trustworthy, devoted to his family and seriously hard-working. Arthur was the kind of man who in his late 70's refused to work the day shift at stop-n-shop with all those old people who did nothing but talk about their bowels! He liked the energy of the young people who worked nights. His wake was an amazing turn out of friends past and present, family members needing to reconnect and even a wonderful young woman who flew from California to pay her respects. It is hard to imagine that a life that was so full is condensed into the words of this brief obituary. He so generously left us the details in his own writing and we filled in the rest.

Agawam- Arthur Joseph Forgues, 86, died peacefully at home, Thursday, August 5, under the care and comfort of his loving family. Born February 26, 1924 in Springfield MA, Arthur was the son of the late Eva St. Germaine and Alphonse Leopold ...Forgues. He attended the old Springfield Technical High School. Arthur proudly served in the 3rd division of the United States Marine Corp. from 1942- 1946, fighting in the Asiatic-Pacific campaign in the battles for Guam and Saipan. He was honorably discharged after serving as a Staff Sergeant in the Marine's military police. He was employed at E.J. Pinney Construction and Home Spun Electrotype in New York for the Daily News, NY Times,and finally the Wall Street Journal in Springfield. Arthur worked as an Engineer for Amtrak and Conrail until his retirement in 1985. His last job was an associate at Stop n' Shop in Agawam, a job he really loved. Arthur had a profound love for his family and was a longtime communicant at Sacred Heart Church in Feeding Hills. Arthur leaves his beloved wife of 54 years, Lucille (Pierce) , and his four children; Thomas L. Forgues and his wife Joyce, Timothy J. Forgues, Theresa A. Couture and her husband Paul, Tina Walker and her partner Antonio Simmons, one sister Camille Marie Forgues of Longmeadow, and many nieces and nephews. He was a proud Papa to his grandchildren, Joseph, Amber, Aimee, Gina, Renee, Stephanie, and Shannon, Brett, Brianna, Whitney, Daniel, and Alexandra , also to his 15 great-grandchildren. Arthur often said that outside of his family, serving as a Marine was one of the proudest things he had ever done. The family would like to extend their thanks to Dr. Philip Glynn, Noble Visiting Nurse & Hospice Services, and Great to be Home Care, Inc. for all their care and support during this difficult time. Arthur will be missed by one and all who knew him.Visiting hours will be held Sunday, August 8, 2010 from 3-7 at Agawam Funeral Home, Main Street in Agawam, MA. Service will be held Monday at 10 a.m. Followed by service at the Veteran's Cemetery.Memorial contribution to Noble Visiting Nurse & Hospice Services.

A few days before he passed, my mother and him were talking about what happens to our energy when we pass. Rather an unusual concept for their Christian beliefs, but it was her way of telling him the end was coming. She stated she felt that she might come back some day as a deer or something like that. She said what do you think you will come back as, and he answered thoughtfully, " I just want to come back as myself"

Those words have been replayed in my head over and over. He didn't want to be anything more or less, just happy being who he was. What an amazing lesson for me. To learn to be accepting and happy with who I am.

I love you papa bear,

Your loving daughter,
The Hammer