LESTER LAFOREST

TAMMS, Ill. -- Lester Eugene "Frenchie" LaForest, 77, of Tamms died Wednesday, Nov. 11, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

He was born Aug. 18, 1921, at Fayville, son of Eugene and Susie Lawrence LaForest. He and Dorothy "Dot" Montgomery were married April 18, 1967, in East St. Louis.

LaForest was retired from the U.S. Air Force, and was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He also retired from Civil Service at Scott Air Force Base in Belleville.

He was a member of the Assembly of God Church in Olive Branch, Pearl Harbor Survivors Chapter 3 in Cape Girardeau, American Legion Post 0900 in McClure, VFW Post 15014 in Springfield, and Amvets in Marion.

Survivors include his wife; three sons, Tony LaForest of Jackson, Mo., Harry Nash of South Fulton, Tenn., Arlie Brown of Brandenburg, Ky.; a daughter, Gail Simon of Rainbow City, Ala.; 13 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Friends may call at Jones Funeral Home in Tamms after 5 p.m. Friday, and Saturday after 10:30 a.m. at the Assembly of God Church in Olive Branch.

Funeral will be at noon Saturday at the church, with the Revs. Carl Hester and Lou Barton officiating. Burial will be in Lindsey Cemetery near McClure, with graveside rites by personnel from Scott Air Force Base.