Our father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and friend, passed away peacefully at the Homestead in Rexburg where he had been living for the past several years surrounded by his family. Harold was born December 2, 1921 in Driggs, Idaho to Elmer and Blanche Mackley Forbush, the oldest son of eleven children. The family homesteaded in the Bates area in the Big Hole Mountains. After losing his eye sight in an accident in 1932, the family moved to Salem in Madison County.

In the Fall of 1934, Harold enrolled in the Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind in Gooding, Idaho where he learned braille, the use of a typewriter, and other life skills which would empower him to navigate through life as a sightless person. Harold graduated from Sugar-Salem (1942), Southern Branch of the University of Idaho (ISU) and the University of Idaho in Moscow where he earned his law degree in 1948 and was admitted to the Idaho Bar in 1949. If he couldn't find a ride he wasn't afraid to hitch-hike.

In 1950, he became the Prosecuting Attorney in Teton County where he served from 1950 to 1972. Harold was appointed Magistrate Judge in Madison County serving until his retirement in 1985. Many Ricks College political science students would read for him. In the legal community he was known as H.S. Forbush. Residents and attorneys would say there is "Blind Justice" in Madison County.

On October 30, 1953 he married his sweetheart Florence Kirby from Blackfoot in Idaho Falls LDS Temple. They enjoyed 56 years together until her passing in March 2010. Together they had four children; Hal, Agnes Blanche (deceased), Kirby (Jodi Jensen - deceased) and Gale (Scott) Willmore.

Harold enjoyed scouting and was a Citizenship Merit Badge Counselor for many years. He loved history and was a pioneer in oral history using a reel to reel tape recorder, interviewing over 400 early settlers and pioneers in the Upper Snake River Valley. Many are archived in the "Special Collections" at BYU-I. He was active in the Upper Snake River Valley and Bonneville County Historical Societies and the Sons of the Utah Pioneers. He authored and co-authored many local and family history books and articles on many subjects. He had a thirst to learn and experience new things.

He was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He especially enjoyed his years as a Seventy and Stake Missionary in Driggs and Rexburg. He was a High Priest Group Leader. He enjoyed organizing reunions between his Forbush, Mackley, Buxton and Fenton cousins. He loved to attend the temple and was an officiator in the Idaho Falls Temple for several years. He enjoyed trail rides and hiking in the Tetons. He has fished most every river, stream and lake in the Upper Valley. He loved to garden and the outdoors. He could identify plants by their texture, birds by their songs and people by their voices. He loved projects and never let blindness get in the way of experiencing life. The Lord blessed him with friends and family who would help him bring his many ideas to fruition.

Harold is preceded in death his parents, his spouse Florence, his daughter Agnes Blanche, his brothers; Clarence, Don, Bennie, Bill, Jack and his sisters; Blanche and LaVon and his daughter-in-law Jodi. He is survived by his children; Hal, Kirby and Gale and siblings; Robert, Max (Julie Marett) and Ellen (Vern-deceased) Singleton, 19 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 15th at the Hibbard LDS Chapel. The family will receive friends Friday evening from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Flamm Funeral Home and on Saturday from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. at the church prior to services. Interment will be in the Sugar City Cemetery.

The family would like to thank the staff at Homestead for their kind, compassionate and attentive care.