Wadia Lee Forte's Obituary
The Obituary of Wadia Lee Forte - Beloved Mother and Friend
It is with sadden hearts that we announce the passing of our dear loving mother Wadia Lee Forte (Kolsch) to the loving arms of her Heavenly Father, and Savior, Jesus Christ. She passed away peacefully at 3:40 AM on Saturday, March 25th after battling various health issues during the sunset of her life.
Wadia was born in Merced, California on March 16, 1939 to her loving parents, L’louise and Bill Nabhan. She grew up in the Central Valley and later moved to Alameda, California where she graduated from Alameda High School. She later attended Chico State University and met her 1st love, Bob Crawford, and married and they shared 2 children together, Robert John Forte and Cheri Ann Forte. Bob and Wadia then moved to Sacramento, California for a short time and later settled in San Lorenzo, California. They divorced a four years later and she raised RJ and Cheri as a single mother for 3 years before marrying Lt. Colonel Jean Thomas Fox, USMC and remined married for the next 9 years. Jean introduced her and her 2 children to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, where they all lived the LDS life-style. They divorced due to irreconcilable differences and she married Dominic John Forte, who was at the time Vice-President of Sales for Golden Grain. During his professional career he was key in the successful launch of Rice-a-Roni and Pasta Roni to the United States markets. She and Dominic remained married for 10 years as they traveled the world and they eventually moved to Danville, California until Dominic passed away from cancer. During these years, Wadia worked as an Executive Secretary for General Foods, Neo-Life, and RJR Reynolds. She officially retired after Dominic passed away and she later married Gordon Kolsch of Danville, California. They eventually moved to Alamo, California and remained there for the next 20 years. Wadia was always the humor at every dinner party and the sunshine that greeted each new day. She was a fantastic mother, daughter, and example of how to demonstrate Christ-like love to everyone that she met. She loved to laugh and spend time with her family, as she could cook up the most incredible cuisines from Italy, Lebanon, and the Deep South. She lived for her family and became an incredible grandmother to 7 grandchildren. Two were from her daughter Cheri in Jonathon Graham and Jason Clayson. Her son, RJ and his wife Kim delivered her five additional grandchildren: Jordan, Shauntel, Dominique, Cameron, and Dylan Forte.
After the loss of her husband, Gordon Kolsch, Wadia sold her Alamo home and lived in an assisted living home in San Ramon, California. She later moved to Draper, Utah to be close to her family and meet her four Great-Grandchildren, Cruz and Tiger Isham, and Kaleo and MJ Wilson. She was able to witness the marriages of 4 of her grand children and wanted to see the last 3 happily married. She leaves behind her 2 children, Cheri and RJ and RJ’s spouse Kim Forte and her aforementioned 7 grand children and 4 great grandchildren. She will be laid to her final resting spot next to her mother, grand mother, and husband, Dominic Forte at Chapel of the Chimes in Hayward, California. A private celebration of her life was held by her family on Sunday, March 26th in Draper, Utah. No further services will be held at her request. In lieu of flowers, please support the American Cancer Society and The Make-a-Wish Foundation in her name, as she was so grateful to the many doctors, friends, and people who were involved in saving her grandson from Ewing Sarcoma Cancer back in 2017.
Mom, we will miss you more than words can express and we know that you are in a much better place with your mother, sister, grandmother, and all of our ancestors who previously lived on this Earth that were all waiting for your return home. She was the ultimate matriarch of our family and she was revered by many friends whom she freely loved so dearly during the course of her life. We will always love her and never forget the beauty and elegance in the manner in which she lived. She is truly was a devout Daughter of God and now she is basking in the golden rays of Heaven, while she continues her journey preparing to live her best life in the presence of her God and her Savior.
All of our Love,
The Forte Family
What’s your fondest memory of Wadia?
What’s a lesson you learned from Wadia?
Share a story where Wadia's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Wadia you’ll never forget.
How did Wadia make you smile?