AUGUSTA – David Joel Forsyth, 53, died March 18, 2004, at Maine Medical Center in Portland, following heart surgery. He was a resident of Hallowell. He was born March 23, 1950, in San Gabriel, Calif., to Rev. Willis and Barbara (Clark) Forsyth. His family traveled with his U.S. Navy Chaplain father and he grew up in various locales including South Carolina, New York, Connecticut, Italy, and Virginia. Returning to California, he graduated from Fort Bragg High School and later from the College of Mortuary Sciences in San Francisco, Calif. David’s background in mortuary science and later law enforcement brought David to the San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office, where he was employed as an investigator and met Dr. Margaret (Peggy) Greenwald. They were wed on Aug. 20, 1989. With an abiding love for the sea, David and Peggy purchased the 50 foot Garden ketch “Alden” and after enjoying San Francisco Bay sailing, they spent many months sailing down the California Coast, Central America and into the Caribbean. They shared this time with various family members and friends, including David’s goddaughter, Abigail Sousa. David, in semi-retirement, followed his wife, Peggy, to Augusta, when she accepted the position of Chief Medical Examiner for the state. David, together with his sister, Paula Donovan, operated Forsyth Donovan Associates, a business-consulting firm with clients extending from Maine to California. David’s love for family and history led him to involvement in civil war re-enactment’s and in the Clan Forsyth Society of the U.S.A., where he served as Maine’s state clan representative, and the St. Andrew’s Society of Maine, where he was president. David was a drummer with the Dunlap Highlanders Pipe Band from York, and was especially privileged to travel with them to the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 2002. David and Peggy share a love of animals and have raised several West Highland Terriers as pets, both for themselves and for the elderly. Survivors include his wife, Dr. Margaret Greenwald/Peggy Forsyth of Hallowell; son, Timothy Forsyth and his wife, Robin, of Vacaville, Calif.; daughter, Emily Conroy and granddaughter, Haley, of San Francisco, Calif.; mother, Barbara Forsyth of Alden, Minn.; sisters, Deborah Disgrazzi and her husband, Gino, of Vilseck, Germany, Paula Forsyth Donovan and her husband, Gary, of Ocean View, Hawaii and Rebekah Sousa and husband, James, of Albert Lea, Minn.; nephew, Samuel Disgrazzi of Alameda, Calif.; niece, Rachel Disgrazzi of Palo Alto, Calif.; niece, Abigail (Sousa) Parish and her husband, Christopher, of Honolulu, Hawaii; and nephews, Caleb and Joshuah Sousa of Albert Lea, Minn. Services will be held 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 23, at Christ Church in Gardiner. He may be visited 2-4 p.m. Sunday, March 21, and 5-7 p.m. Monday, March 22, at the Staples Funeral Home, Gardiner. There will also be viewing on Friday, March 26, in his mother’s home in Alden, Minn., with funeral service and burial there on Saturday, March 27.
DAVID JOEL FORSYTH
