David Joel Forsyth died Thursday, March 18, 2004, at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine, following heart surgery. He was 53 years “young” and a resident of Hallowell, Maine.

Services were held in Gardiner, Maine, on Tuesday, March 23 (his birthday).

The funeral will be 10 a.m. Saturday, March 27, at Salem Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. Viewing will be one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the Alden Cemetery following the service. The Rev. Jay Dalvang will officiate the service. Arrangements are by Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home, Wells.

David was born March 23, 1950, in San Gabriel, Calif., to Rev. Willis and Barbara (Clark) Forsyth, He was baptized April 23, 1950 in El Monte, Calif., and confirmed in April 1963 in Dahlgren, Va. His family traveled with his U.S. Navy chaplain father, and he grew up in various locales. Upon leaving California, he lived in Charleston, S.C., Long Island, N.Y., Noank, Conn., Naples, Italy, and Dahlgren, Va. Returning to California, he graduated from Fort Bragg High School and later from the College of Mortuary Sciences in San Francisco.

In 1968 he married Dorothy Dias, and to this union were born Timothy David and Emily Elizabeth. The family lived in the San Francisco Bay area and later settled in Willits, Calif., where David worked at Anker-Lucier Mortuary. The couple chose separate paths in 1978. David subsequently married Sandra Crawford in 1980, and they made their home in Fort Bragg, later returning to Willits where David owned and operated the Willits Ambulance Company, Forsyth Professional Services (limousine and mortuary transport services), was an EMT II college instructor and a part-time sheriffs deputy. The couple divorced in 1988.

David’s background in mortuary science and law enforcement brought him 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 August 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 semiretirement, followed his wife Peggy to Augusta, Maine, 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 with Civil War re-enactments and in the Clan Forsyth Society of the U.S.A. where he served as Maine’s clan representative and the St. Andrew’s Society where he was president. David was a drummer in the Dunlap Highlander Pipe Band from York, Maine, and was especially privileged to participate with them in the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 2002. David and Peggy shared a love of animals and 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, Maine; 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; sister, Deborah Disgrazzi and her husband Gino of Vilseck, Germany; sister, Paula Forsyth Donovan and her husband Gary of Ocean View, Hawaii; sister, Rebekah Sousa and her husband James of Albert Lea; nephew, Samuel Disgrazzi of Alameda, Calif. (Coast Guard); niece, Rachel Disgrazzi of Menlo Park, Calif.; niece, Abigail (Sousa) Parish and her husband Christopher of Honolulu, Hawaii; and nephews: Caleb and Joshuah Sousa of Albert Lea.

He was preceded in death by his father, Rev. W. J. Forsyth of Alden; and grandparents: Garland and Betty Clark of Alden, and Sherman and Hattie Forsyth of Syracuse, N.Y.

To those who loved and were loved by David, he will remain an irreplaceable treasure. Thank you for his life, dear Lord.