Feb. 2, 1920 – Aug. 9, 2018
Alice Rentmeister Forsha, dear mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great grandmother, aunt and friend, passed away peacefully in South Jordan, Utah, on Aug. 9, 2018, at age 98.
Alice was born Feb. 2, 1920, to Peter John and Gladys Williams Rentmeister in Kaysville, Utah, the third of five children. She was born in the home of her grandparents.
Alice was brilliant. She scored high on her 1930s-era IQ test and skipped a grade in elementary school. She loved school and loved to read.
Unable to find employment with her diploma from Davis High School in Kaysville, she continued her education at LDS Business College, receiving an honorary pin for being the best shorthand-taker in her class.
She worked at the law firm of Romney, Romney and Boyer as the legal secretary to Marion G. Romney. A few years later, he was called to be an assistant to the Council of the Twelve Apostles for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and asked her to follow him, which she did. She was the secretary for the General Church Welfare Committee and typed the first Welfare Handbook.
At age 39, she met June Macfarlane Forsha, executive with the passenger traffic department of the Union Pacific Railroad Company. Their long-distance relationship (Omaha to Kaysville) included frequent phone conversations and written correspondence. They were married in the Salt Lake City temple by Elder Marion G. Romney on April 14, 1960.
June, a widower, had a ready-made family that included children ages 19, 17, 11 and 3. Moving from her quiet life to a new and highly demanding life as a wife and mother to June’s four children had to be a challenge.
She was warmly welcomed into the Forsha family. She was introduced to the Elmwood Park Branch in Omaha and became their much-needed organist. Alice served as an organist for 75 years. She enjoyed nature, hiking, travel in the United States and Canada, voracious reading, family and music. She also loved oil painting and finished many beautiful paintings.
She held nearly every position in the church available to women. She excelled as the Primary chorister, her favorite calling. The children sang their hearts out for her and the congregation.
When June retired from the Union Pacific Railroad Company in 1974, they moved to Leeds, Utah, and built a home at Silver Reef. Alice lived there for more than 40 years until April, when she moved to South Jordan, Utah, to be closer to her family.
Alice was preceded in death by her husband, both parents, all of her siblings and a grandson, Brett Crandall. She is survived by her children: Mona White (Robert) of Draper, Utah; Marilee Crandall (Richard) of Provo, Utah; Dick Forshay (Jill) of Littleton, Colorado; and Douglass Forsha, M.D., of Salt Lake City, Utah; 13 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services
- Funeral services will be held Saturday, Aug. 18, at 11 a.m., with a visitation prior from 9:45-10:45 a.m., at the Leeds LDS chapel, 75 North Main St., Leeds, Utah.
- Interment will be in the St. George City Cemetery, St. George, Utah.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Metcalf Mortuary, 435-673-4221.
For condolences, full obituary and funeral listings please visit Metcalf Mortuary online.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the LDS church Humanitarian Aid Fund, Missionary Fund or a charity of your choice.