Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Celebrating: Dr. Forrest Foor

History teacher makes a little history himself

By Shari Kaplan

Dr. Forrest Foor celebrated a century of life and memories Dec. 20 at a 100th birthday party at The Terraces of Los Gatos, where he resides.

Foor's life took twists and turns before leading him to Los Gatos. Born on Dec. 20, 1896, on a Fairfield County, Ohio, farm, he was the youngest of four brothers. A sister came along five years later, whom Foor watched over after his father died, while his mother ran the 25-acre farm.

As a boy, Foor plowed neighbors' farms for 50 cents a day and picked berries, fruits and vegetables to sell. In his free time, Foor watched trains and climbed hickory and cherry trees to feast on fruit and nuts. In the winter, he enjoyed sledding.

When Foor's oldest brother, Arlie, left to study law, Foor began thinking about life outside the farm. His dreams prompted him to leave at 18, when a friend talked him into joining the U.S. Navy as World War I began.

He fibbed about his age to his recruiting officer and wound up the youngest enlistee at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, then at the Naval Operating Base at Hampton Rhodes.

In his company of 175, Foor received the highest score on the Navy's Blue Jacket Manual Exam, and he was made an instructor.

At war's end, Foor returned briefly to the farm, then got a call from a cousin who suggested Foor move to Montana and take the Montana Teachers' Exam so he could live with his cousin's family and teach school.

"Once I went west, I never went back to the farm. " Foor said. "I wanted to teach."

While teaching eighth grade and later high school, the violin-playing Foor organized a band to play at local events. After saving enough money, he attended Montana State University in Missoula to further his studies in education; he also married but later divorced.

After earning a master's degree, he moved to Helena, Mont., to teach high school. He spent summers taking economics courses at the University of Washington in Seattle. While in Helena, Foor also took up golf, a pastime he enjoyed until age 89.

"I shot my age for 14 years straight. It got easier every year. You're supposed to be a great golfer if you shoot your age," he said.

One highlight of Foor's golfing career came when aviator Charles Lindbergh landed his airplane on a deserted golf course instead of at a state fair where he was expected. Foor said Lindbergh was easy to talk to.

"Nobody was playing that day but me. I was such an ardent golfer that I would rather play than go to the fair," Foor recalled.

Foor taught at Montana State Teachers' College, then attended UC-Berkeley to pursue a doctoral degree. Thanks to his exemplary work, previous courses in economics and some propitious networking, Foor's 1941 Ph.D. diploma read, "The University of California grants Forrest Foor a Doctor of Philosophy in U.S. History. The University of California also authorizes him to teach economics."

He held various jobs during and after World War II, included a position with the U.S. Department of Labor, for which he wrote eight studies on postwar legislation.While on an excursion on the Potomac River, Foor met Dorothy Allen, whom he married in 1944. The couple had two children: Barbara and Forrest Jr.

The Foor family moved to Warrensburg, Mo., where he taught at Central Missouri State College. They then relocated to California, where he taught at Fresno State University and Bakersfield High School.

Foor and his wife moved to Cupertino after retirement to be near Barbara. Dorothy died in 1992; a few years later, Foor moved to The Terraces. He enjoys watching golf, football and tennis on TV and actively follows political events.

"My son gave me a celebration on my 95th birthday, and I thought that would be the last," the centenarian said with a chuckle.

"I've been getting cards now from people all over the United States who I've known from years ago--people I haven't seen for a long time."