Gertrude Johnson DeForest

Gertrude Johnson DeForest, 85, of Bel Air passed away Sunday, February 2, 2014 after a brief illness. A lifelong resident of Harford County, Mrs. DeForest, known to all as Trudy, was active in a number of local organizations including Cranberry United Methodist Church where she initiated and led a troop of clowns. She was a charter member of the Aberdeen Room, and a member of the Genealogical Society. She was widely recognized as an accomplished story-teller and volunteered frequently at Steppingstone Museum. In recent years, she had been most active at Grace United Methodist Church in Aberdeen, where she visited Citizens Nursing Home in Havre de Grace as a story-teller, and performed numerous volunteer duties for the church. Earlier, Mrs. DeForest had been employed at the Aberdeen Proving Ground and for a local dentist. Mrs. DeForest was the widow of the late W. Reed DeForest. She was the mother of Terry DeForest Hansen of Joppa, and Dean DeForest of Richmond, Virginia. Mrs. DeForest is also survived by three grandchildren: Lynn DeForest Kolacz of Abingdon, Lee Ann DeForest of Arlington, Virginia, Daniel Reed DeForest of Richmond, Virginia and one great grandson, Joshua Reed Bovee. A visitation will be held at Grace United Methodist Church, 110 West Bel Air Ave., Aberdeen, MD 21001 on Friday, February 7 from 10-11am at which time a service conducted by Dr. Robert Clipp and Rev. Roberta Schoefield will begin. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to Grace United Methodist Church. Funeral Home: Tarring-Cargo Funeral Home 333 South Parke Street Aberdeen, MD US 21001