FORSTER, Johann MINNESOTT BEACH, NC Mr. Johann (John) Richard Forster, 73, died of a stroke on Monday, November 19, 2007 at Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville. John was born in New Orleans, LA, was raised in Mariel, Cuba, and boarded and studied at the Bolles Military School in Jacksonville, FL. When living on the coast of Cuba with his parents, John took advantage of his waterfront home and started a life-long love of sailing. He graduated from The Citadel in Charleston, SC with a BS in Civil Engineering in 1956, and left behind an impressive competitive swimming record for the Bulldogs as the Southeast College Champion for Breaststroke. While in Charleston, SC, John courted and married the lovely Libby Ann Belangia of Arapahoe, NC. John’s career as a naval intelligence officer led his family far from the Carolinas, to homes in Seattle, San Francisco, and Yokosuka, Japan. John also served in Vietnam. After retirement from the Navy as a Captain, John moved to Palm Beach, FL to sell yachts. Later he worked for Trinity Marine selling patrol boats to foreign governments. Building on his career in international sales, John started his own company brokering deals on behalf of foreign countries. Once again, John became a world traveler, spending much of his time in South America and the Middle East. John and Libby retired to Minnesott Beach NC, near Libby’s hometown. John never had an idle moment, and spent his retirement holding court with his grandchildren, renovating his daughters’ homes in Beaufort, NC, while also earning a real estate license and renewing his US Coast Guard Captain’s License. John was a member of the Bethany Christian Church in Arapahoe. This November, John was elected Mayor of Minnesott Beach. He maintained his love of eastern North Carolina throughout his travels and was proud to be able to give back to this community. John is survived by his wife of 48 years, Libby; daughter Fritzie Greene and her husband Jamie of Vienna, VA; daughter Sandy Grotheer and her husband Ron of Vienna, VA; and Patti Taboada and her husband Keith of Brielle, NJ. John will be greatly missed by his six grandchildren, Michael and Hadley Greene, Tom and Will Grotheer, and George and Ana Taboada. John is also survived by his brother Walter Martin Forster of Jacksonville, FL and his sister Analiese Forster Gaun of Phoenix, AZ. Interment will take place at 1:00 pm on January 25, 2008 at Arlington National Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Arapahoe, N.C. Volunteer Fire Squad, or to the Bethany Christian Church Re-building Fund. (The address for either is Arapahoe, NC 28510.) Visit our guestbook at www.charleston.net/deaths. Published in the Charleston Post & Courier on 11/24/2007.
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