BLUE HILL – Alexander Irving Forbes, 85, passed away peacefully April 30, 2008, at home after a long battle with cancer. He was born Sept. 22, 1922, in Milton, Mass., the son and youngest child of Dr. Alexander Forbes and Charlotte Irving Grinnell. Irving graduated from Milton Academy in 1942 and then served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II, piloting landing craft as quartermaster in the Solomon Islands. He enrolled in the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in 1945, graduating with a Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1947. Irving married Ellen Fuller of Dedham, Mass., in 1944. She was a classmate at Milton and Oberlin College. They moved to Colebrook, N.H., in 1947, where Irving taught music in the rural public schools. They moved to Kittery Point in 1952, where he taught in Kittery public schools and at Portsmouth High School. In 1955, Irving received his Masters of Music degree from Boston University. During this period, Irving performed with the Portland Symphony Orchestra as principal bassoonist until 1962. He was president of New Hampshire Music Educators Association from 1954 to 1955. He began his long affiliation with Phillips Exeter Academy, P.E.A., in 1959, moving to Exeter, N.H., in 1964. He became chairman of the music department in 1971. From 1962 to 1974, Irving also found time to direct and conduct the Rockingham Choral Society. He retired from P.E.A. in 1987, after a distinguished teaching career, inspiring countless students with his energy and unique brand of creativity. In 1964, Irving married Margery Shrecengost of Roswell, N.M., beginning “Opus2” of his married life. Upon retiring from teaching, Irving and Margery moved to Blue Hill, where he pursued a variety of interests. He was on the board of directors of Bagaduce Music Lending Library from 1987 to 1990, a guest conductor of Bagaduce Chorale in spring 1990, and founder and conductor of Peters Cove Men’s Chorus. He directed the choir of Ellsworth UU Church for 15 years and was on the Board of Kneisel Hall in Blue Hill. From 1991 to 1992, Irving traveled weekly to Swan’s Island School to volunteer as music teacher. Among his many passions were sailing his catboat among the islands of Maine, pruning trees and trail building, and gathering flat rocks for his many building projects. He was happiest in the wilderness, whether on the coast of Labrador, the outer islands of Penobscot Bay or the Elizabeth Islands of Massachusetts. Here he found nature’s song the sweetest. He is survived by an older sister, Florry, of Milton, Mass.; his first wife, Ellen of Kittery Point; and their children, Alec of Lower Debert, Nova Scotia, Ben of Florence, Mass., Liz of Pittsburgh and Larry of North Bridgeton; his second wife, Margery of Blue Hill; and their children, Douglas of Charlemont, Mass., and Eben of Cambridge, Mass.; nieces and nephews, Nat Goodhue of Stowe, Vt., Charlotte Goodhue of Vinalhaven, Ann Brayton of Brooklin, Martha Bryan of St. George, New Brunswick, and Tally Garfield of South Dartmouth, Mass.; and 11 grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hancock County Homecare and Hospice, Mary Dow Cancer Center or Bagaduce Music Lending Library.
ALEXANDER IRVING FORBES
