Wesley Forbis

Dr. Wesley Lee Forbis, 80, of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, passed away on January 14, 2011. He was born the third child to Noland and Chessie Forbis on October 31, 1930.
A native of Chickasha, Oklahoma, Dr. Forbis earned his B. Mus. Ed. and his M.A. degrees from Tulsa University, where he also played football. He earned the degree of M.M. from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and the Ph.D. degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1999, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from William Jewell College for his years of service there as well as his contributions to the fields of music education and church music.
In 1963 Dr. Forbis became a professor of music and chair of the music department at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri. In 1981 he became the director of the Church Music Ministries Department at the Southern Baptist Sunday School Board, now known as LifeWay. He served as editor of the 1991 Baptist Hymnal in which many of his hymn texts were committee-selected for inclusion. He was also one of three authors of a published book of poetry, Three Voices: Poetry in Worship.
After his retirement Dr. Forbis remained active in the fields of music education and church music, leading at conferences and workshops as well as producing several classical recordings.
Dr. Forbis is survived by his wife, Ginger Forbis, and three children, Lisa Forbis, Clifton Forbis, and Katrina Bates, along with five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He leaves behind one sister, Sharon Strain of Galveston, Texas, and two brothers, Gary Forbis of Tuttle, Oklahoma, and Keith Forbis of Hollywood, Florida. He was preceded in death by his sister, Imogene Forbis, and his brother, Donald L. Forbis.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wesley L. and Ginger Forbis Scholarship Fund of William Jewell College, 500 College Hill, Liberty, Missouri 64068.