Leona Mae Forste, age 81, of Texarkana, Arkansas, died Friday, August 19, 2022, at her residence.
Leona was born March 14, 1941, in El Centro, California but lived most of her childhood in Taft, California. She then moved to the Los Angeles area and finally to Texarkana, Arkansas.
Leona married the love of her life, Joseph Forste, on March 14, 1970. She earned her Art Degree from Compton College which served her career as a Draftsman for Terry Engineering until her retirement. She was very talented. She painted and played the guitar and piano. She loved to sing and served the Lord through the choir. She served as music director at New Beginnings Church in Texarkana until she had her stroke in 2020.
Leona was kind, generous, and uplifter to all and never met anyone who wasn’t a friend. She had an infectious smile and was adored by all who knew her.
Leona was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Forste, her parents, Katherine and Vic Raney and Herbert Bruton; her sisters, Linda Peterson and Betty (Bernice) Bruton; her son, Fred Weehunt; daughter Victoria Eatchel; granddaughter, Leona Jones and great-granddaughter, Davina Jones.
Survivors include her children, Freida and Larry Nielsen, James and Jamie Weehunt of Texarkana, Arkansas, Betty and John Campos and Angela Clarida of Maricopa; Joseph and Brandi Forste and Sherry Helms of Taft, CA, Patricia Chapman of Austin, Texas; her brother, Richard and Sonja Bruton of Nash, Texas; her brother-in-law, Herb and Lily Forste of South Carolina, Tom Forste and sister-in-law, Pat Collins of Ohio; as well as numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and her chosen family-her brothers and sisters in Christ.
Graveside services will be at 10:00 AM Wednesday, at Chapelwood Memorial Gardens, South Chapel with Rev. Mathew Butler officiating. Burial is under the direction of Chapelwood Funeral Home.