Mary Kathleen Lester Forbes, Age 83, of Salisbury, NC and formerly of

Greensboro, NC passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on

Monday, September 2, 2024 at Trinity Oaks. Mary Kay was born March 21,

1941 in Jacksonville, Florida to the late Henry Dick Lester and Sarah

Stewart Thornton Lester. She had fond memories of growing up in

Birmingham, MI, with her parents and 2 brothers and sister. She attended

Michigan State University and Graduated in 1963 from Greensboro College

with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and The University of North Carolina at

Greensboro with a certification in Learning Disabilities.

 

A devoted educator for 43 years, Mary Kay taught in both private and

public schools in the High Point and Greensboro School Systems. Even

though she loved inspiring young minds in the regular classroom her

biggest passion was advocating for and teaching children that learned

differently. Through her career, she developed programs for children with

learning differences and taught Behaviorally, Emotionally Handicapped

students in middle school. One of her proudest accomplishments was

directing the North Carolina Learning Disabilities Association Greensboro

Chapter’s LDA Summer Program for 13 years.

 

She was awarded the Professional of the Year Award in 1989 and 1990

from the Greensboro Chapter of the LDA and the North Carolina LDA. In

1991 she was awarded LDA Teacher of the year and was recognized as a

Woman of Achievement from the Commission on the Status of Women.

 

Mary Kay thrived at Greensboro College and held dear its close-knit

community. While there, she started the Aquabelles Synchronized Swim

Team, choreographing and competing with colleges in the southeast.

 

Her love of writing poems, songs, and plays led to many school programs

related to the curriculum her students were studying, countless church

Christmas “They Came Bearing Gift” programs, and numerous

neighborhood recitals during the holidays. Family members (aka – her

daughters), students, and neighbors were encouraged to participate in

these performances. This led to many rehearsals, costume designs, set

construction, and an abundance of laughter. Always using her creative

talents to evoke joy for those around her, young and old and always with a

smile.

 

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by the love of her life,

Howell Lee Davis, in 2019. Howie was her 8 th grade boyfriend, reuniting

after 56 years apart to have 10 wonderful years traveling, researching and

just being the light in each other’s lives. Also preceding her in death were

her brothers, Henry Dick Lester II and James Owen Lester.

 

Mary Kay’s talents, advice and memories will be forever cherished by her

daughters, Sarah Elizabeth Faircloth (Mike), Judith Ann Forbes, and Mary

Heather Steinman (Todd); sister Judith Ann Lester Shoesmith and

grandchildren Michael Edward Faircloth (Elizabeth), Anna Stewart

Faircloth, William Lester Steinman, Amelia Jane Steinman (Fiancé Lee

Homes), Joseph Charles Steinman and great-granddaughter Olivia Leigh

Faircloth.

 

The family would like to thank Dr. Chet Amin and the wonderful staff at

Trinity Oaks; Dr. Doug Shellhorn, the caring staff at Terra Bella and a

special thank you to Tami Nianouris for her tender, loving care of our mom.

 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Juvenile

Diabetes Research Foundation (BreakthroughT1D.org/Memorial) or

Greensboro College (https://www.greensboro.edu/give/)

Carolina Cremation is honored to serve the Forbes family. Online condolences may be made at www.carolinacremation.com.