WHITEHOUSE - Funeral services will be held Friday for Eric "Bear" Forbis, a
24-year-old soldier from Whitehouse who died in a car wreck this week.
Forbis, who received a Purple Heart after his feet were wounded by a land
mine, had returned from Iraq in time for Christmas, his pastor said. He died
Monday after striking a tree while driving from Fort Hood to his residence
in Leander, near Austin.
"He was a fine young man, his family is a wonderful family, and it's tragic
because he did survive leukemia and he did survive Iraq, and to lose his
life at a young age in a car accident is just a tragedy for everyone," said
his pastor, the Rev. Kim Beckham of Central Baptist Church in Tyler. "He was
a man of faith."
Forbis' leukemia had been in remission since he was 5 years old, Beckham
said. He earned the nickname "Bear" because of the way he fought the
disease, the pastor said.
Forbis had returned to military duty after recovering from the wounds. The
soldier had only a little time left on active duty, Beckham said. He had
hoped to attend Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, where he intended
to study math and theology in hopes of becoming a teacher and youth pastor.
Services are set for 1 p.m. Friday at Central Baptist Church, 6253 New
Copeland Road.
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