David Forry

Reverend Doctor David Lee Forry of Magnolia, Delaware, formerly of Jaffrey, New Hampshire, died on February 14, 2022 at the Cadia Capitol Nursing Home in Dover, Delaware. David was 88 years old.

David, son of the late Mignon and Carlton Forry, grew up in Marysville and Columbus, Ohio. As a youth, David was active in scouting, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. David graduated from Columbus High School in 1951 and enlisted in the United States Army. David trained with the 1st Infantry Division in Kansas and had orders to the war in Korea. At the last minute, the Army learned that David had learned Morse Code in the Boy Scouts, and diverted him to the communication school at Ft. Devens, Massachusetts. There David became an instructor, teaching coded communication and radio direction finding to other soldiers. David mustered out of the Army after the war and enrolled in college on the G.I. Bill. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1958, a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree from Wesley Theological Seminary in 1964, and was ordained a minister of the United Methodist Church. Reverend Forry went on to attain a Master of Sacred Theology degree from Wesley Theological Seminary in 1967 and completed his Doctor of Ministry at Boston University in 1989.

David married Kathryn Christensen, of Redford, Michigan, in 1964 and they remained married until Kathryn’s death in 2018.  In 1969, David took a position as Chaplain at the Hampshire Country School in Rindge, New Hampshire and he and Kathryn moved to New Hampshire. For nearly 50 years Rev. Forry was a frequent substitute minister at churches in Southwest New Hampshire and Northern Massachusetts. David was an associate minister for the Cathedral of the Pines, officiating numerous weddings, baptisms, and veterans’ and fraternal organizations’ events at the Cathedral. Though he loved preaching in churches, David’s primary ministry was as a Licensed Pastoral Counselor and being a therapist. Dr. Forry was a founding member, and eventually Director, of the Monadnock Area Pastoral Counseling Service. One of his proudest accomplishments was implementing on-site counseling services for employees of large
companies in the Monadnock Region, such as New Hampshire Ball Bearings and Millipore. Dr. Forry worked in private practice as a Pastoral Counselor, as well as serving as the Staff Chaplain at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, New Hampshire until his retirement in 2009.

David was pre-deceased by his wife Kathryn; his brothers, Dudley and Kingsley Forry; and his sister, Deborah Best.

David is survived by his son Erik Forry (Anne) of Magnolia, Delaware; by his son (and best buddy) Karl Forry of Dover, Delaware; and his grandsons Daniel Forry of Omaha, Nebraska and Kevin Forry of Felton, Delaware.

There will be an indoor memorial service at the Cathedral of the Pines, in Rindge, New Hampshire at 1:00 O’clock P.M. on Saturday, March 12, 2022. Interment will be at a later date at the Cathedral of the Pines Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations to the Alzheimer’s Association: 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601. www.alz.org

Arrangements are by the Thomas E. Melvin & Son Funeral Home Inc, Harrington.  Visit us at www.melvinfuneralhome.com to sign the condolence book.

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