Roger Forman lived a life marked by quiet strength, kindness, and a humility that never asked to be noticed. He passed away peacefully on May 1, 2026, after a long journey with Parkinson's Disease, which had gradually hijacked his physical abilities and silenced his voice, but never touched the character of the man he remained.

Roger filled a room with natural charm and wry humor rather than a lot of words. Reticent by nature, he was more inclined to listen than to speak, but when he did speak, people listened. Somehow, the man with the fewest words always knew exactly what to say. And when he smiled, he lit up the room with an expression of warmth that said more than words ever could. Even the way he carried himself was steady and uncomplicated - never hurried, never demanding, but always grounded in what was right. A deeply forgiving man, he was never one to hold onto past wrongs. He lived with a gentle fortitude that left an impression on everyone who knew him.

He filled many roles over the course of his life - farmer, logger, basketball referee, mailman, EMS driver, and caretaker of sacred ground as a cemetery groundskeeper. He lived by the principle that a jack of all trades may be master of none but is often better than a master of one. He would change your tire, cut your hay, build your house, deliver your mail, watch the ballgame with you, corral your lost cows - it didn't matter, he'd be there. But these were simply the ways he showed up in the world. What defined him was how he worked: with his hands, in the thick of it, consistent, calm, and steady, and without the need for recognition. He embodied the dignity of honest work and he carried it quietly.

To his family Roger was even more. As a father he was deeply revered - not because he demanded it, but because he earned it through a lifetime of patience, sacrifice, and steadfast love. He never needed to state his expectation for excellence; his every action set the standard and his children carried it forward, always striving to make him proud, to do as he would have done. He did not need many words to make his presence known; it was felt in the way he showed up, again and again, without fail.

He loved God in a way that was lived rather than spoken. His faith was action, rather than performance - it was unassuming kindness, easy forgiveness, and the way he treated the people around him with dignity and respect. He'd always found joy in the simple things: listening to rain on a tin roof, watching a rabbit munch on a clover, feeling the steady rhythm of milling lumber, or just passing time with the people and pets he loved. He was never ashamed to be "caught" petting a stray cat that showed up at the farm or watching the hummingbirds flitting around outside his home. He honored God by loving His creations.

His grandchildren held a most special place in his life. He had a gift with them, an ease and calm that made him the family's "baby whisperer." Where even their mothers might struggle, Roger simply knew how to be present, and his gentle wisdom was usually enough to turn fits of crying into laughter and snuggles.

In the end, a disease confined his body, but it could not define his life. Those who knew him never lost sight of the man he was - sturdy, humble, and profoundly good.

Roger's legacy is quiet endurance in service to others. His work in timber helped build our homes. When his body began to slow, he changed careers and delivered the mail. And after retiring - twice - he volunteered to drive an ambulance for Union Ambulance Service (EMS). His story is an example that a meaningful life need not be complicated. Showing up, working hard, loving your family, and living with integrity is more than enough.

He is survived by his sister Marilyn Jean Baker, of Wardensville, West Virginia; his four children and nine grandchildren, including Chris and her husband Andy Goerke, and their two children (Lilian and Tate), of Tucson, Arizona; Randa and her husband Daniel Rumer, and their three sons (Damian, Huxley, and Tripp) of Amboy, West Virginia; Josh Forman and his wife Rachel, of Aurora, West Virginia; and Raleh Forman and his wife Ashley, and their four children (Alayni, Samantha, Roger, and Donald) of Charles Town, West Virginia.

Family and friends are invited to an open-house style celebration of life at Fredlock & Fenner Funeral Home - Davis Chapel, on Thursday, May 7, 2026, from 1 to 3 PM, which will be held in a way that reflects who he was - simple, open, and centered on the sharing of stories and memories by those who knew and loved him.