Billie Joy Forrest

     Billie Joy Forrest, a loving wife, mother and grandmother passed away on December 11, 2023, at her home at the age of 83 following a battle with cancer. She was born in Mangum, Oklahoma, on September 7, 1940, to Lewis Rudolph and Maggie Eunice (Collins) Cooper. In 1943 her family moved to Hobbs, New Mexico, where she went to school and graduated with the class of 1958.

    Billie went to college at Southwestern State College in Weatherford, OK and completed her BS degree in elementary education, graduating in 1961. She started teaching in Albuquerque Public Schools at the young age of 20. While Billie was at Southwestern she met Billie Max Forrest of Vici, OK. They were married on September 3, 1960, at the First Methodist Church in Hobbs, NM and then moved to Albuquerque in 1961. She taught 19 years in APS before retirement.

     Billie and Max were long time members of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. Billie was a member of UMW Mary’s Circle and was involved in the prayer shawl ministries. They both were associate members of God’s Little Church in the Desert in Brenda, Arizona, where they spent the winter months twenty plus years. They had a second home in Wagon West RV Park in Brenda, AZ. The park members were like a family enjoying a lot of activities: quilting, golfing, dancing, playing cards, potluck meals, craft fairs, etc.

      Billie and Max loved traveling with their RV’s and camping with friends for 43 years, touring all 50 states, Mexico and 8 provinces in Canada. The highlight of their trips was an 80 day trip to and from Alaska with long-time friends Howard and Ann Anderson.

      Billie was preceded in death by her parents, Lewis and Maggie Cooper, sister Jerry Lee Dodson (and her husband Richard) of Norman, Oklahoma, brothers-in-law Rex Forrest of Albuquerque, Richard Croft, Don Forrest and Jim Forrest of Oklahoma, sisters-in-law Arlene Schamburg (and her husband Loyd), Sue Forrest, Bonita Care and Belva Sutton, all of Oklahoma.

      Survivors include husband Max, son Cary Lynn and his wife Virginia “Gigi” Forrest of Albuquerque, NM, daughter Susan Kay Parr of Silt, CO, grandson Skyler Forrest Parr of New Castle, CO, granddaughters; Sadie Rose Parr of Silt, CO and London Victoria Forrest of Albuquerque. Also a special cousin, Jimmy Sid Johnson and his wife Dianne of Tuttle, OK.

      Survivors also include sisters-in-law Dianne Forrest of Albuquerque, Wilda Croft, Cherri Dale Cadwell (and her husband Guy Jr.), brothers-in-law Kenneth Forrest, Steve Care and Buddy Sutton all of Oklahoma.

     A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00am. Monday, December 18th, 2023, at St. Paul's United Methodist Church on Constitution Ave.