Joseph Andrews Forest – Recognized local lawyer

A well-known attorney in both Sonoma and Marin, passed away Oct.
14, 2006 at his home in Kingston, Washington after a courageous
struggle with ALS. He was born Nov. 1, 1932 in Seattle, Washington
to Captain Francis Xavier Forest and his wife Eloise. Joe spent his
summers with his grand parents and aunt, Kathleen Andrews, in the
coastal town of South Brooksville, Maine where he developed his
life long passion for sailing. He graduated from Georgetown High
School, Washington, D.C. in 1950. After graduation he went on to
attend Bowdoin College in Maine for a year and was then accepted at
the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, and graduated with the Class
of 1955. He was then stationed in Arlington, Virginia. and
Coronado, California where he served in Naval Intelligence from
1955-1959.
Thereafter, Joe went to Stanford Law School and graduated with
his Juris Doctorate degree in 1962. He was hired as Deputy County
Counsel for the County of Marin. After several years he went into
private practice in Marin with the law firm of Carrow, Jones,
Applen & Forest. In the early ‘60s, he went to Mississippi to
take depositions as an advocate for the civil rights movement and
also helped to register voters.
Joe served as city attorney for the cities of Larkspur, Novato,
Petaluma, Cotati and Calistoga. He represented several of these
cities for many years. He also served as Administrative Abatement
Hearing Officer for the County of Sonoma and the City of San
Rafael. In his recent years he served as legal advisor to the
housing authority for the S’Klallam Indian Tribe. He also was a
volunteer in the Washington Reading Corps, a community youth
service program. He is a published author on the subject of Land
Use Planning and Controls.
Joe is survived by his aunt Kathleen Andrews of Brooksville,
Maine, daughter Cindy Anne Forest, daughter Jacqueline Forest
Sichel and her husband Ron, son Benjamin Francis Forest and his
fiancée Danise. He is predeceased by his daughter Andrea Forest. He
will always be known as Papa Joe to his nine grandchildren; Taylor
Forest Miller and his wife Leah, Cameron Paul Miller, Leigh Gus
Miller, Alexandra Kathleen Forest, Haynes Forest Stephens, Robert
John Sichel and Cassandra Rose Sichel, Jasper Joseph Forest and
Tyger Flores-Forest.
He also leaves his long-time companion Marganne Clay of
Kingston, Washington who supported him throughout his difficult
battle with ALS.
A memorial reception for family, friends and colleagues will be
held at Empire College, 3035 Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa,
California on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2006 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30
p.m.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Honor of Joseph
A. Forest to the Maine Maritime Academy, Student Endowment Fund,
c/o Development Office, Pleasant Street, Castine, Maine 04420;
and/or in his honor to the ALS Association at 27001 Agoura Road,
Suite 150, Calabasas Hills, CA 91301 (818) 880-9007,
www.alsa.org.