Shirley Ward Forrest

Shirley Ward Forrest passed unexpectedly, May 2, 2020, with family and friends by her bedside, after a long battle with cancer.

Born to Callie and Sarah Ward, along with her baby sister Linda, with whom she loved dearly, they lived a simple life in Messick, Virginia - often working hard raising chickens and hogs, gathering eggs, working in the garden growing vegetables to eat or can and preserve. She spent most days walking to school, Trinity Church, or the Messick Theatre, where she would meet and later marry her husband Johnny Forrest in April of 1962. They made a life together of building their home and raising a family. Early years were spent on the water every chance they could get; whether it was fishing, crabbing, or raking clams, it was a family event with lots of good memories to hold. We spent many a time camping out on Plum Tree Island cooking and eating what was caught. Daddy would get off work on a Friday from the shipyard and pack us kids up for a weekend of fun on the water and Mama would be late Sunday night washing the sand from our clothes and shoes getting us ready for school and work the next day. Mama worked 35 years as a secretary at NASA and retired from there after Daddy passed in 2005. She loved being on the water, going shopping and spending time with her family that she loved dearly. She will be greatly missed.

Preceded in death by her mother and father, Sarah Darnell and Callie Ward and her husband, Johnnie Messick Forrest, she is survived by a son, John Messick, Jr. and daughter, Melanie West and companion Tracy Firman; grandchildren, Jr. West and Karen Buckley and her husband Michael; great-grandchildren, Kendall and Evan Buckley of South Carolina; and sister, Linda Trantham and her husband Gene, and many other close family members and friends.

At this time, there are no public services. Online condolences to claytorrollins.com.

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