Forrest Weeks

Forrest Weeks, 69, of Victor, went to be with his Lord on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007 after battling cancer for more than a year.

He was born on Aug. 17, 1938 in Casper, Wyo. to Dale and Fern Weeks. The family lived in Belle Forche, S.D. before moving to Libby when Forest was 12, where they operated the Texaco Station on Mineral Avenue.

After graduating from Libby High School he joined the U.S. Army and was stationed at Fort Ord, Calif. where he met the love of his life, Norma Smith. They were married on Sept. 5, 1958 and after the Army, Forrest discovered he had an aptitude and a love for the insurance business in which he worked for 46 years.

He had a passion for photography and enjoyed shooting pictures of nature as well as newlyweds. He also enjoyed playing pool, golfing, bowling, fishing, boating, hunting, and pretty much any activity that gave him the excuse to interact with other people. In school he played the trumpet and drums and was in a small dance band. He also liked to play poker and board games with his family.

What set Forrest apart was his love of life and his love of people and his uncanny ability to make instant friends. The place he practiced this gift was the Coffee Cup Cafe in Hamilton, or he could be found at the Out West Ice Cream Parlor between 3 and 4 p.m. where the drink "Strawberry Forrest" was named after him.

Forrest also loved to sketch and doodle and if a pen and paper or napkin were available, he'd whip out one of his well-known cartoon faces. After signing something, people would often stop him and tell him he wasn't done because he forgot the picture. He truly never met a man he didn't like, at first anyway. He took each day and squeezed as much love and fun out of it as possible.

The true gauge of his wealth and success of his life, we measure by the number and quality of his friends and loved ones. In that regard he was "filthy rich." For him, life was not the quantity of days he lived, but the quality of how he lived them. He lived more life than most people ever will. Something Forrest always said in parting was "have fun." That was more than a parting statement, it was his motto to live by.

Forrest was preceded in death by his parents, Dale and Fern Weeks of Libby. He is survived by his wife Norma Weeks of Victor; his sons, Chester and his wife Diane Weeks and granddaughters Kiri and Shenoa of Hamilton; Mark Weeks and grandson Shea Matson of Salinas, Calif.; daughter, April and her husband Don Ruskauff and grandson Colton, also of Hamilton.

Forrest you will be missed in so many ways, but we know you are in a better place and no longer in pain. God has truly blessed us all with you in our lives. Until we meet again, we love you.

A celebration of Forrest's life will be at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 26, at the Assembly of God Church, 601 Main St. in Hamilton.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Marcus Daly Hospice in Hamilton. Arrangements are under the care of the Daly-Leach Chapel.