Kathleen Forrest

Kathleen (Ilnicki) Forrest, 78 of Carlisle, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer on Sunday, June 11, at her home. Kathy was the best friend, companion, teacher, soldier, and most of all, wife that anyone could ever have.

She was born February 20, 1945, in McKees Rocks, PA; an only child to the late Peter and Stephanie (Spak) Ilnicki. "Cookie" as she was known then, attended local schools, graduating from McKees Rocks High School in 1963, before going on to earn both Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Elementary Education from Duquesne University. Kathleen enjoyed a long and rewarding career in education, teaching all over the world, from Pittsburg; to Washington DC; Ft. Sill, OK; Ft. Jackson, SC; all the way to Korea; and then back to PA, where she retired from the Carlisle Area School District.

Kathy remained a loyal Pittsburg Steelers fan her entire life. She always watched her team, attending home games whenever possible – she was even in attendance to witness the Immaculate Reception. Sometimes when forced to watch the game from home she would angle the television towards the window, then sit outside in the cold on her deck, ‘for the proper effect.’

Kathy also loved Las Vegas, or any destination that allowed her to find a casino. Win or lose, she always enjoyed herself; and anyone near her, whether they were working or playing, enjoyed themselves even more for her company. She loved her "Girls' Trips" (often funded by her luck in the casinos) – whether to upstate New York for wine tours, or heading into NYC to watch Broadway shows, she looked forward to each and every one.

Kathleen honorably served her country in the US Army Reserves for 10 years, ending in 1982 with a rank of SP5. It was during this tenure that she met and married her husband, Gerald Bickford "Bick" Forrest, and they were inseparable for the past 43 years.

In addition to her loving husband, Bick, Kathleen is survived by two daughters, Deborah Forrest Clark (and husband Jonathan), and Dianne Noelle Forrest (and her son, Kathy's beloved grandson, Braeden Chute), also her cousin Michelle Haro and family of California.

The disposition of her remains are being handled by the Hoffman Funeral Home and Crematory of Carlisle. Friends and family will be invited to a gathering to pay respects and celebrate her life at a later date. In the future, she will be interred together with her husband in Arlington National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a memorial contribution be made to the charity of your choice.

To sign the guestbook, please visit www.HoffmanFH.com.