Mrs. Wanda Lee Forbes

July 21, 1925 - November 21, 2020

Mrs. Wanda L. Forbes, wife of the late Major Brown Coleman Forbes, USAF (ret.), died Saturday, November 21, 2020. Eldest daughter of the late Edmund Maywood Wageley and Edith Margaret Cline Wageley, Mrs. Forbes was born on July 21, 1925 in Keyser, WV. She graduated from Keyser High School and in 1944, following her freshman year at Potomac State College, her family moved to Charlotte, NC. She graduated from Queens College and later married Brown C. Forbes, a pilot in the United States Air Force. After 23 years of service, Maj. Forbes retired and the family moved to his native York County where they raised their three children, David, Julie, and Douglas. Maj. Forbes’ military service inspired the couple’s love of travel. Maj. and Mrs. Forbes traveled extensively and enjoyed seeing the world and experiencing different cultures. Mrs. Forbes earned a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Winthrop College in 1969, concentrating in School Librarianship. She was the school librarian at Kinard Elementary School in Clover, SC and later at Gaston Day School in Gastonia, NC where she built exemplary school library programs. Her heartfelt belief was that an excellent school library was a vital and essential ingredient in student learning and one of the keys to school improvement. Mrs. Forbes was a leading voice for the important place of libraries in the school curriculum and community, serving in several influential positions, beginning with her appointment by Governor James B. Edwards to the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE). Mrs. Forbes was later appointed by President Ronald Reagan and reappointed by President George H. W. Bush to the United States National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS). This 15-member board’s mandate was to advise Congress on the state of the nation’s libraries. Serving 10 years in this role, Mrs. Forbes visited both public and Native American school libraries in many states. She was a founding member of the Palmetto State Teachers Association, an organization which allows teachers a choice in professional affiliations. She was an honorary member of the South Carolina Association of School Librarians. Mrs. Forbes was passionate about civic education and participation in the political process. Her strong belief in a two-party political system led to her local involvement in political organizations in Greenville, York, and Richland counties from 1960 to the present. While Maj. Forbes was stationed at Donaldson Air Force Base in Greenville, she worked in early efforts to establish a two-party system in South Carolina. After moving to York County in 1963, Mrs. Forbes was instrumental in efforts to further the York County Republican Party and was one of the first Republican candidates for public office in York County, running for SC House District 47 in western York County in both 1984 and 1986. Her purpose in doing so was to provide a choice on the ballot for representation in State government. Soon thereafter, the Republican Party in York County began offering and electing many candidates. Mrs. Forbes served on the South Carolina Republican Executive Committee representing York County and was a charter member of the Clover-Lake Wylie Republican Women’s Club. She again served on the SC GOP Executive Committee as a representative of Richland County and was First Vice-Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party after she and Maj. Forbes moved to Columbia in 1987 in order to be nearer their children and grandchildren. Mrs. Forbes was a South Carolina delegate to three Republican National Conventions and was one of South Carolina’s eight Electors for President Ronald Reagan in 1984. Maj. and Mrs. Forbes’ examples of civic duty and patriotism is a legacy treasured by their children and grandchildren. Mrs. Forbes was awarded the Order of the Palmetto by Governor Edwards for her promotion of school libraries and her advocacy on behalf of her fellow citizens to have a choice in government representation. Mrs. Forbes’ personal papers and political memorabilia related to her service as an educator, General Assembly candidate, and longtime activist for the Republican Party are archived at the University of South Carolina’s Special Collections Library in its South Carolina Political Collections. Mrs. Forbes was predeceased by her husband of 54 years, Maj. Brown C. Forbes, who died in 2001. She was also predeceased by her younger sisters, Jane W. Faulkner of Rock Hill and Billie W. Kovach of Scottsdale, AZ, and brother Edmund M. Wageley, Jr. of Marshall, VA. Surviving Mrs. Forbes are her sons, David C. Forbes (Sara) of Charleston and Dr. Douglas R. Forbes, DMD, of Columbia, daughter, Julie Forbes Lybrand (Jim) of Columbia; granddaughters, Leigh Ellen Lybrand Gray (Cranston) of Greenville, Laura Lybrand Bunch of Columbia, and Rebecca Lybrand Alpert (Ryan) of Columbia, MO; and her great-grandchildren, Robert Coleman Gray and Mary Margaret Alpert. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Kathleen Wageley of Marshall, VA and nieces and nephews Bo Faulkner of Edisto Island, Susan Faulkner Gardner (Wayne), Bobby Faulkner of Rock Hill, Steve Kovach (Alane), Rick Kovach (Christine), Eric Kovach (Sheri), Kathy Kovach Koenig (Jeff) all of Scottsdale, AZ, Eddie Wageley and Nate Wageley (Erin) of Marshall, VA, Jane Wageley Satow of Eygalières, France, and Pam Knight of Columbia. Mrs. Forbes was a member of First Presbyterian Church and was grateful for the warm congregational and pastoral care shown to her. At the time of her passing, she was a resident of Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community. She enjoyed the company of the friends she made there and was grateful for the loving care of the Still Hopes family. Her children, grandchildren, and extended family doted over her and affectionately called her “Mam.” She hated birthdays but was reminded every time she had one how lucky she was and that made her smile. She commented at her most recent 95th birthday that it was the best one ever. In keeping with Mrs. Forbes’ wishes, upon her death she became a donor to the Anatomical Gift Program of the Medical University of South Carolina. Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 1324 Marion Street, Columbia, SC 29201 or to the Kinard Library Fund, ATTN: Ken Love, Clover School District, 604 Bethel Street, Clover, SC 29710. A memorial service with interment in the First Presbyterian Churchyard will be announced at a later date. Memories and condolences may be shared online at www.ShivesFuneralHome.com.