SENATOR JAMES "JIM" SUMMERS FORRESTER, SR.

STANLEY -- Senator James "Jim" Summers Forrester, Sr., MD, 74, of Stanley, North Carolina, died on Monday, October 31, 2011, at Gaston Memorial Hospital in Gastonia, North Carolina. Dr. Forrester was born in Aberdeen, Scotland on January 8, 1937. He was the son of the late James Summers and Agnes "Nancy" McLennan Forrester of Glasgow, Scotland.

Dr. Forrester, an eleven-term member of the North Carolina Senate, represented District 41 that includes Gaston, Lincoln and Iredell counties. This year, he was elected Deputy President Pro Tempore. Dr. Forrester served in the North Carolina Air National Guard as a Flight Surgeon during the Vietnam War and retired with the rank of Brigadier General. He practiced family and preventative medicine in Stanley, North Carolina from 1963 until 2010. He earned a medical degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine (formerly Bowman Gray School of Medicine) in 1962 and a master's degree in Public Health and Preventative Medicine from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1978. He was a Deacon and an active member of First Baptist Church in Stanley.

Dr. Forrester is survived by his wife of 51 years, Mary Frances All Forrester; three daughters, Wynn Forrester Maxwell and husband Michael C. Maxwell, MD of Paradise Valley, Arizona; Gloria Forrester Lucioni and husband Marco Lucioni of Palos Verdes, California; Mary Paige Forrester of Montgomery Village, Maryland; one son, James Summers Forrester, Jr., MD and wife Teresa Fore Forrester of Wilmington, North Carolina. He is also survived by one sister, Lillian Forrester of Aberdeen, Scotland; one brother-in-law, Thomas All of Stanley, North Carolina; one sister-in-law, Sally All Beach of Charlotte, North Carolina; four nieces, Libby Beach Nessley, Susan Houser Beach, Delores All Morrison, Nancy Jane Foster; one nephew, John William Beach; eight grandchildren, William Henry Forrester Maxwell, John David Thomas Maxwell, Mary Martha McLennan Maxwell, Tomas Matias Lucioni, Daniel Lucas Lucioni, James Summers Forrester III, Amy Elizabeth Forrester and William Tyler Forrester.

Dr. Forrester was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Sheila Forrester Long.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church, 409 Old Mt. Holly Road, Stanley, North Carolina.

Funeral services will be 3:00 P.M. Sunday at the First Baptist Church, with Pastor Billy Shaw officiating.

A private family graveside service will be held at a later date.

The James S. Forrester, Sr. MD Family Medicine Endowment at Wake Forest University School of Medicine has been established by the family in honor and remembrance of their father's commitment to public service. The endowment will fund scholarships for medical students who pursue a career in Family Medicine and intend to practice in North Carolina. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Wake Forest School of Medicine for the James S. Forrester, Sr. MD Scholarship in Family Medicine, c/o Office of Development, P. O. Box 571021, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157.

Online condolences may be made at: www.carothersfuneralhomestanley.com;

Carothers Funeral Home in Stanley, North Carolina is serving the Forrester family.

Online condolences at StarNewsOnline.com