Services for Forrest Monroe Sr., 96, of Thomasville, are at 2 p.m., June 23, 2008, at First Missionary Baptist Church. The Rev. James E. Harvey will officiate and interment is in Peaceful Rest Cemetery. Active pallbearers are Frank Delaney, Harry Cromartie, Robert Johnson, Leroy Hudson, Ed Cromartie and Thomas Hart. Honorary pallbearers are Robert Bass, Willie Miller Jr., Samuel Gibert, Jeffery Christian, James “Jack” Hadley and Roscoe Daphney. Mr. Monroe died June 17 at Quitman Presbyterian Home in Quitman. Born Dec. 25, 1911, he was a son of the late Isaac and Jenny Monroe. He was married to the late Rubbie Lee Ivey Monroe. He attended Midway Country Grade School that operated from 1907 through the 1950s. He later purchased the property on which the Midway Country Grade School stood on Hill Road in Thomas County. During the American Revolution Bicentennial Celebration in 1976, he and his wife donated the Midway Country Grade School building to the Thomas County School System. This building is now categorized as a historic structure. Its new location is on the Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School’s campus on Hall Road in Thomas County. We give Mr. Monroe credit for this restoration and presentation of this historic building. Leaving Midway School, Mr. Monroe attended Allen Normal and Industrial School and started in the construction business soon afterwards. He also attended Moultrie Trade School studying drafting, blueprint reading and other construction skills. He worked a carpenter for Brewton Construction Company in Thomasville. After working with Brewton Construction, Mr. Monroe and the late Emory Washington of Thomasville joined forces to build quality homes for the citizens of Thomasville and Thomas County. He was one of the charter members of a group of prominent black leaders who started an organization called Progressive Investors whose mission was to build better homes for the area black community. He and Elijah Hill Jr. became the major contractors for the Progressive Investors. He also built homes in Buck Plantation on the Hall Road, Sinkola Plantation on U.S. Hwy. 319 South, Carvin Village, a subdivision off of Fletcher Street, Hill Road subdivision and the Magnolia Pines subdivision off Pinetree Boulevard that was once owned by Mr. Monroe. He also ventured into farming. He specialized in raising cattle. He operated a farm on the Hill Road. He was founder and owner of Monroe Home Builders/Construction Company. He has built quality homes throughout the area for 62 years. When he was only 15-years-old, he helped carpenters build a new family house for his parents. His wife, Rubbie Lee Ivey Monroe, served as secretary-bookkeeper for Monroe Construction. He was proud to have his son Forrest working beside him building quality homes. He served as senior deacon at Rebecca Missionary Baptist Church located across from his home on Hill Road. Before he became disabled, he served as chairman of the deacon’s board. He also served as Sunday school superintendent; president of the Senior Choir and member of the Trustee Board. He was very active in his church. He along with this brother the late Ike Monroe joined members of Rebecca Missionary Baptist Church to build the present sanctuary. He was a very involved parent, not just for his children but for the betterment of all the children in the city and county. His calling was to educate and encourage youth to learn the rich history of our community and to be better citizens. He is considered one of this area’s great humanitarians. His involvement and contributions to this community are innumerable. The list includes Thomas County Rotary Club member, Francis F. Weston (Clay Street) YMCA board member, County School System PTA member, Magnolia High School PTA president and board member for Glenn-Mor Nursing Home and president of the board of directors of Hadley’s Funeral Home. He was one of the first black board members of First National Bank of Thomasville now SunTrust Bank. He was instruments in petitioning the Thomas County Community to bring this First National Bank of Thomasville to this city. He served as board member for the Salvation Army. He also served as carpenter for the Progressive Investors Club of Thomasville. He helped organize the Thomas and Grady County Singing Convention of which he served as vice president for 45 years. He was a member of Central Athletic Booster Club and an advisor committee member of Thomas County School. He was on the board of directors of the Thomasville Dawson Street YMCA and served on the executive committee Chest Drive. He served with many other groups and organizations in Thomas County to enhance economic growth and to embrace and improve race relations. He was a member of the Democratic Board of Thomas County. For his outstanding service and citizenship and innumerable contributions and donations to the Thomasville/Thomas County community, the old Midway Country Grade School site was renamed to honor him. The site is now named the Forrest Monroe Sr. Heritage Education Site. On Oct. 21, 2004, the citiznes of Thomasville and Thomas County, along with his family unveiled a bronze/granite monument in his honor. He was preceded in death by his wife, Rubbie Lee Ivey Monroe; daughter, Constance Louise Coleman; brothers, Ike, John, Adam and Ezekiel Monroe; sisters, Lucille Higdon, Bessie Walker and Margaret Parker. He leaves to cherish his legacy, daughter, Jean T. (Joseph) Pogue of Thomasville; son, Forrest Jr. (Vea) Monroe of Aurora, Colo.; daughter, Barbara (Roosevelt) Young of Thomasville; son-in-law, Emory Coleman of Thomasville; sister-in-law, Ann Askew of Norwalk, Conn.; granddaughters, Tammy (Leon) Primas of San Leandor, Calif., Linda (Al) Ford, of Alamo, Calif., Sonya Coleman-Stithz of Oakland, Calif., Cassandra Montgomery of Thomasville, Nicole Monroe of Manhattan, N.Y.; grandsos, Douglas (Charlie) Pogue of Escahu, Germany, Forrest Monroe III of Aurora, Jabari Wade of Unadilla; nieces, Frances (T.C.) Sanders, Bernice (Roger) Young all of Thomasville; nine great-grandchildren; numerous other nieces, nephews, cousins, other family members, friends and the Rebecca M.B. Church family; past beloved caretakers, Jessie Parrish, Bessie Moore, Lucille Greene, Cynthia Marshall, Evelyn O’Neal, the late Louise Howell and the staff at Presbyterian Home in Quitman. The viewing is from noon to 8:30 p.m., Sunday and from 9:30 a.m. to noon Monday at the funeral home and from noon until the funeral hour at the church. The family will assemble at 10 a.m., Monday at 863 Hill Rd., Thomasville for the procession. — Hadley’s Funeral Home