Henry Mae ("Hank") Forbes, Jr., Lfd

Henry Mae Forbes, Jr., LFD, the son of Henry Mae and Ella (Stevens) Forbes, Sr., swiftly departed this earthly life on Monday, July 1, 2024 at the age of 59. Born in Tallahassee on May 18, 1965, Hank grew up in “the creek” in Wakulla County. As a child he loved sports, watching wrestling, and playing football and baseball throughout school age years. He loved everything about growing up on the water and was proud to be from Spring Creek. As a young child, he would travel from church to church singing in a gospel group with his sister and father. Hank would join the United States Army at the age of 16 and spent time across seas in Vincenza, Italy and the surrounding areas. His love for sports was still evident, as he played in men’s softball tournament with the Army in Turkey.

Hank’s love for serving people in their time of loss started at a young age. He began working at Henderson Funeral Home in Crawfordville at the age of 14 under the tutelage of Mr. Lee Henderson. After his honorable discharge from the Army, Hank would continue to work in the funeral industry and would move to Atlanta to attend Gupton Jones College of Mortuary Science. During his time there he would work at the prestigious H.M. Patterson & Son Funeral Home. Upon graduation and his licensure, Hank would move back to Florida to be closer to home and would serve his internship at Hewell and Son Funeral Home. Among other stops along the years, he spent a generous amount of time with Guerry Funeral Home, Oxley Heard Funeral Directors, Hardage-Giddens Funeral Homes (S.C.I.) as the central prep location manager, as well as Archie Tanner Funeral Home, mastering his craft of embalming and restoration. He was very appreciative for the mentorship he received from senior funeral directors and embalmers such as Bill Guerry, Jack Heard, and Archie Tanner, who trusted him throughout the years to help run their businesses. In 2010, Hank decided it was time for him to try his hand at ownership alongside his wife and son. He opened Forbes Funeral Home in Starke and after a short period of time, he moved it to the town that he had made home for the last several years, Macclenny. He treasured the relationships he made with local pastors and families who trusted him with the final arrangements of their loved ones. His words passed on to staff members were, “I want to treat people the way I would expect to be treated if we were on opposite sides of the arrangement table”. He lived and breathed the funeral business, working up to the day of his passing.

Away from work, Hank could appear stern and intimidating, but once you knew him, you realized that he loved to laugh and cut up. He loved his family and friends with all his heart and was willing to do anything for them at the drop of a hat. He loved camping and laying out by the pool and trips to the beach. He enjoyed live music and going out for dinner with friends. Hank was a people person, thru and thru.

He was an avid lifelong fan of all Florida State athletics.

He was preceded in death by his father, Henry Mae Forbes, Sr. in 2013; his nephew, Ryan Forehand and his mother-in-law, Sandi Ross, in 2016, and then his mother, Ella Forbes, in 2019.

He leaves behind to cherish the years of memories and laughs; his son: Hawke M.T. (Brittnee Milton) Forbes of Macclenny; his sister: Denise (Kimmie Carman) Forehand of Tallahassee; his godmother: Donna Hicks of Jacksonville; two daughters: Amy (A.J.) Hume-Frye of Monticello and Jillian Brimer of Macon, Georgia; seven grandchildren; his fur baby: Gypsy; as well as a host of extremely close friends and extended family members.

Pallbearers will be Slade Stevens, B.B. Stevens, Doc King, Bruce Taylor, Ronnie Moran, Colton Lee, Evan Barrett, and Robert Thomas III.

A funeral service to honor Hank’s life will be held Friday, July 5, 2024 at 1:00 PM at Road to Calvary Church with Rev. Tommy Richardson and Rev. Justin Griffis officiating. The family will be receiving friends at the church from 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM. Interment will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery with Rev. David Thomas and Rev. Timmy Thomas officiating.

Hawke M.T. Forbes of Forbes Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. 409 West Macclenny Avenue, Macclenny, Florida 32063 “With Your Family In Mind”. (904) 259-4600 . Please leave your condolences for the family in the online guestbook at www.forbesfuneralhome.net