John Charles Forbes, BHS 1962

John Charles Forbes, BHS 1962

August 6, 1944 - May 3, 2009


John Forbes passed away peacefully on May 3rd at the Palo Alto VA Hospice/Palliative Care Unit surrounded by his family. His final wish to be comfortable was more than met by the wonderful staff that cared for him during his final weeks.


John was born August 6, 1944 and raised in Burbank, California. After attending Pierce Junior College, John enlisted in the Air Force and served his country for four years, including one in Vietnam with a communication unit. Returning from Vietnam, he went to work for Pacific Bell. In 1975 John married Anita. They resided in Fountain Valley where they began raising their three children.


John enjoyed the thrill of racing, and while in the military, he raced motorcycles in Texas and Japan. During the 1970’s he raced V-bottom and tunnel boats in Southern California. In the 1980’s he slowed it down and began sailboat racing in Dana Point. John and family would actually win some regattas with their “kiddy crew”. Family vacation was something John always looked forward to. Some of his favorites were sailing to and around Catalina; trips to Yosemite, Hawaii, Italy, Ireland and Costa Rica; and a National Park road trip that included Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Badlands and Devils Tower.


In 1987 the family moved to Half Moon Bay, following his acceptance of a new position with Diasonics MRI, a company he had joined a few years earlier. He traveled to locations around the world helping troubleshoot installations of MRI machines. In 2000 he retired, following Toshiba’s purchase of the company and the closure of their South San Francisco office.


In retirement, John enjoyed photography classes at CSM and getting out into nature capturing its beauty on film. He volunteered at the Peninsula Humane Society, helping rabbits and guinea pigs find loving homes. He had been a member of the HMB Lions Club and was currently a member of the HMB I.D.E.S. Society. He enjoyed attending monthly meetings at the Pescadero Opera Society and gatherings of the National Brain Tumor Foundation in San Francisco. John looked forward to water workouts/aerobics at La Petite Baleen and the Mills Peninsula pools and he could be found most mornings for the past few years enjoying coffee at HMB Coffee Company.

It became evident during his 3 ½ year battle with brain cancer that the number of people impacted by this disease is rising, and some of the drugs used to help him near the end hadn’t been around when he was first diagnosed. In lieu of flowers the family is requesting any donations be made in his name to help continue work toward a cure the end of suffering from this disease: National Brain Tumor Society, 124 Watertown St., Suite 2D, Watertown, MA 02472 or online: www.braintumor.org, then click, “Donate Now”.

John is preceded in death by his mother and father, Betty and Hollis Forbes of Granada Hills, CA. He is survived by his wife, Anita Forbes, and their children: Lisa and James Phillips, Jessica and Andy Forbes and Dana and Hugo Oregel, and grandchildren Ryan, Sarah, Aiden, Paxton, Trevor, Charlotte, Myla, Elizabeth, Rowen and Hannah. He is also survived by his sister, Cheryl Elm.

Anyone who had the privilege of knowing John knew him as a tender, home-loving family man with a dry sense of humor. He touched many lives and will truly be missed by his family and friends

A Celebration of Life gathering will take place on June 6th.