Frank Richard Forsyth Jr. August 10, 1936 - April 1, 2022

Order of Worship

Welcome & Gathering

Jesus said, I am the resurrection and I am life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, yet shall they live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.

Friends, we have gathered here to praise God and to witness to our faith as we celebrate the life of Frank Forsyth. We come together in grief, acknowledging our human loss. May God grant us grace, that in pain we may find comfort, in sorrow….hope, in death….resurrection.

Added encouragement and

prayer.

Old Testament Reading

Psalm 23 NIV

A psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Amen.

Celebration of Life

Ret. Lt. Colonel Frank Richard Forsyth, Jr, 85, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on April 1, 2022 at Ascension Seton Hospital, Round Rock, Texas. Frank was a decorated veteran who served 20 years in the Army, followed by 20 years with the Water Development Board for the State of Texas.

Frank married his high school sweetheart on August 9, 1958, Nancy Lee Guyton Forsyth, soon after graduating from Texas A&M University and completion of U. S. Army boot camp. He entered the service at Fort Benning, Georgia on October 2, 1958. He served in Georgia, Maryland, Arkansas, Virginia and as an Assistant Military Professor at the University of Tennessee. He and his family spent three years in Germany and three years at SHAPE Belgium. He was deployed for thirteen months to Vietnam. His service dedication ended after five years at Ft. Lee, Virginia on October 31, 1978.

Following his retirement from the Army in 1978, he moved to Round Rock, Texas, and began his second career with the State of Texas. He retired from the State in 1998.

After moving to Round Rock, he dove head-on into his biggest passion….. Texas A&M and Aggie sports. As a season ticket holder for 38 years, Frank rarely missed a home game and made as many away games and bowl games as possible. He was an avid contributor to the 12th Man Foundation.

Next to Texas A&M and Aggie sports, Frank’s next passion was a love of golf. He played every chance he could.

When he wasn’t attending a Texas Aggie football or baseball game or playing golf Frank and his wife Nancy were sailing with any cruise line to somewhere in Alaska, Europe, Australia, or Mexico and of course, with Aggie friends and wives.

Frank is predeceased by his father, Frank Richard Forsyth, Sr., mother Margaret Katherine (Bill) Webster Forsyth, and brother, Donald Ray Forsyth. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Lee Guyton Forsyth, son Frank Richard Forsyth, III, daughter Tamara Lee Forsyth, Tamara’ spouse Nicholas Arthur Rotas, son Brett Paul Forsyth, four grandchildren, Cody Alan Roberts, Kaci Nicole Salgado, Kyle Robert Forsyth, Julie Ann Forsyth, and three great grandchildren.

The family has asked me to provide some space for stories or celebration of life....

Pastoral Prayer

O God, who gave us birth, you are ever more ready to hear than we are to pray. You know our needs before we ask, and our ignorance in asking. Give to us now your grace, that as we shrink before the mystery of death, we may see the light of eternity. Speak to us once more your solemn message of life and of death. Help us to live as those who are prepared to die. And when our days here are accomplished, enable us to die as those who go forth to live, so that living or dying, our life may be in you, and that nothing in life or in death will be able to separate us from your great love in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Add prayer for Nancy, Kids, Grand Kids

Amen.

Will you join me in the Lord’s prayer as you are able:

OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME. THY KINGDOM COME. THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD, AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US, AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL. FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY, FOR EVER AND EVER AMEN

New Testament Reading and Message

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 NIV

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

and from 2 Tim

2 Timothy 4:7–8 NIV

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Pray.

Uncle Frank has been one of those unassuming heroes of mine. Steady, caring, someone everyone really enjoyed being around. But it has been really amazing to put context to my observations of Frank this week talking more to Nancy and family about his life. Reading comments and post about who he has been to so many people.

We all know that Frank loved his Aggies. My first games in College Station were with Frank, he would come into town and if Nancy decided not to come or there was an extra ticket…he would reach out. Being the eldest in the family and conveniantly living in Bryan College Station…I found myself at many games. Even though my path led me in other directions I owe Frank my miserable attachment to all things Aggie Sports…it is hard. But things look a little better these days.

One of my favorite things in the whole world was getting to go to those family reunions in Crockett and try and play golf with the big boys. Before those gatherings stopped I was just getting old enough to hang on the course.

He loved his aggies and golf.

Man did he love his family. Nancy joked that she was like 5th on the pecking order behind aggie football, golf, kids, and then her.... but we know that wasn’t true.

A couple things that stand out to me today:

Integrity

Servant

Integrity:

From his service to our country, even serving in some top security clearance roles, or to his trustworthiness to everyone around him, Frank had the type of integrity that draws everyone in because you know they can be trusted.

Frank could unassumingly reach all the guys in the room via sports or small talk, he was so disarming… but he was a good listener. I know because I watched him engage with all the women of my family in the house and when other men would run or hide at the golf course, he was unaffected. Maybe even enjoyed it.

He didn’t fuss about anything. Never spoke ill of anyone (except maybe for the university down the street)

This is no small thing to be able to say something like this after 85 years of life.

Servant:

That integrity led him to serve. To serve me a distant nephew, to serve by taking others to ball games, to serve by showing up at family graduation parties, to serve by prioritizing family and kids, to serve by bringing a widowed friend to Saturday games.

I told Nancy this week, I always had this image of Frank and Nancy being at my grandparents and every morning, Frank would drive to the store to get her a Diet Coke.

That just stuck with me. To you all kids, grandkids, I know you saw this regularly but also want you to be proud today because everyone saw it.

Nancy, I know at the end you were bringing him diet cokes. And I know you would do anything in your power for that to still be the case.

All of us today mourn, because even a full 85 year life…it feels wrong to end today. We know in our bones, in our tears, in our grief that death is not what God intended.

That is why Paul to the church in Corinth says:

2 Corinthians 4:17–18 NIV

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Fix your eyes on what is unseen. This isnt fanatical imagination or coping mechanisms....this is remembering that our faith instructs us that things are not how they should be but God will bring restoration and healing.

The other text made me think of Frank...

Paul and Timothy

In our text, the apostle Paul is encouraging his protege, Timothy. Paul is likely near the end of his life at this point. He is at least reserved that this calling will likely kill him.

There are two realities that Paul is certain of:

I have kept the faith

There is a future that awaits him

What a blessing for Paul to look back at his life and be able to state....I ran the race. I did it. This is the same guy who says I do not what i want to. OR acknowledges that he was the worst of all before Jesus or claims that all fall short of the glory of God.

But he was also the one that knew to cling to the hope of Christ was everything.

And second, Paul was as free as possible knowing what was in front of him.

To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

Talk this out a little.....

What makes this day special is that we can look at the life of Frank and say the same thing. He poured himself out fully to those around him. Not perfect. But the perfect one giving his life through Frank.

It is a challenge for all of us to run the race of integrity, service, and love. Thank God Frank did.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amazing Grace

Benediction

Instruction to Graveside

The peace of God He which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.