Joseph Theodore Forster's Obituary
Joseph Theodore Forster went home to his older brother Jimmy and his parents
peacefully on the evening of Wednesday, December 4, with his family by his side.
Always "Teddy" to his family and friends, he was rarely without his Mardi Gras beads
and could be found swinging them and smiling, ready for doughnuts and ice cream,
should the mood seem right (and it was always right). Teddy also loved being with
family and friends and never failed to make everyone's day brighter. Even towards the
end, when dementia took so much from him, he could still occasionally muster his
famous smile.
Teddy's family was fiercely supportive of him. His mother, Ellen, spent her life
advocating for his inclusion into mainstream activities, and his father, James, never left
his side. His brothers and sisters loved him completely and without reservation. He was,
in all ways, a gift from God.
Teddy is survived by his siblings Jennifer (Nalmpantis), Daniel, and Maryellen; his
brother-in-law Kyriakos Nalmpantis; his nephews Alex and Jimmy Nalmpantis; his loving
extended family; and his friends and aides associated with Midwest Health in Wooster,
Ohio.
Preceded in death by his older brother Jimmy and his parents, James and Ellen (nee
Spring), his grandparents Robert and Mary Helen (Fitzgerald) Forster and Joseph and
Marian (Schmidt) Spring, he is with all of them now, warm in their embrace. Godspeed,
our Teddy. We will see you again one day.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to the Down Syndrome Society of
Northeast Ohio or Hospice of the Western Reserve.
FRIENDS MAY CALL AT VODRAZKA FUNERAL HOME 6505 BRECKSVILLE RD.,
INDEPENDENCE (1/2 mile south of Rockside Rd.) ON THURSDAY, DEC. 12, FROM 4-
8 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be on Friday, Dec. 13, at 10 AM at St. Thomas
Moore Parish, 4170 N Amber Dr, Brooklyn, OH. Teddy will be laid to rest
immediately following mass at All Saints Cemetery, 480 W. Highland Rd, Northfield, OH.
What’s your fondest memory of Joseph?
What’s a lesson you learned from Joseph?
Share a story where Joseph's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Joseph you’ll never forget.
How did Joseph make you smile?
