Patricia Mary (Moran) Forster

Patricia Mary Moran Forster passed away on Monday, September 27, 2021, after a hell of a fight against cancer. Patty made her mark in this life, and it was most apparent in the large community of friends and family she lovingly gathered as she made her way through her 75 years. By everyone’s measure, she was truly one of a kind.

Born on June 23, 1946, in Detroit, Michigan, Patty was welcomed into the world by her parents, Philomene (Lambert) and T. J. Moran. She was joined a short time later by more Moran siblings, making Patty the quintessential middle child—a designation she wore like a badge of honor. When all was said and done, there were seven siblings: Tom, Mike, Cathy, Patty, Joe, Mary, and Lucy, a group of amazing people that she was most proud to be a member of.

Patty married Brian Joseph Forster on June 15, 1968, after a courtship characterized by the sort of drama that would make for a hilarious sitcom. Brian was initially suspicious of Patty’s ability to laugh at herself and her boisterous ways. Patty described Brian as her “grand passion.” Their partnership provided an incredible example to their children and spouses  (Julie and Tom Goodrich, Brian and Claire Forster, and Andy and Heather Forster) of what marriage can be.

Known as “Auntie MoFo” to some nieces and nephews and “Uncle Patty” to others, the title and role Patty most relished was “Mimi.” Maeve, Jane, Forster, Charlie, Hank, Andrew, Ruby, Brian, and Philly all loved their Mimi and enjoyed lots of good times with her in the Pickle Jar, on Country Club, and at #2 in Northern Michigan.

While Patty would like to be remembered primarily for the large family she came from, the family she and Brian created, and the many, many incredible friendships that blessed her life, she also had many personal and professional passions and pursuits. Patty was an enthusiastic bridge player, playing with the same group of women for 40 years and with Brian and friends and family on countless weekend nights. She loved beating her son-in-law at Spite and Malice (“Thomas, come sit down so I can take all of your money”), and was a formidable Scrabble and Rummikub opponent. Patty was an avid reader. She always had a book going and read the newspaper every day. She loved tennis and golf, was a reluctant skier in her earlier years, and played in a softball and volleyball league for a time with many of her Grosse Pointe friends.

Her completion of a bachelor’s and master’s degree while raising her three children made Patty exemplary in her drive for learning and self-improvement. Her Master of Social Work degree landed her in the field of counseling, where she was finally compensated for something she’d been doing all of her life—listening to people and helping them find their way. Outside of her work as a therapist, Patty’s belief in contribution to community led her to serve on Grosse Pointe Park’s City Council, the Women’s Resource Center Board, and the McLaren Hospital Patient and Family Advisory Council (both in Petoskey, MI).

To her children, Patty was a force. She’d fight for them or with them, depending on what the situation called for, but her love was never questioned. Patty’s “kids” are most thankful for her unshakable belief in their goodness as people, Sunday Night Dinners, her vigilante tactics during their teenage years, the laughs she shared with their friends in the kitchen of Edgemont Park, Big Fish Lake, her tie shirt, advocacy for skinny dipping, an inopportune use of the word “hussy,” and the legacy and lessons of love and loyalty she has left to them. 

A visitation with the family will be held on Friday, October 15, from 6:00-8:00 PM, and a celebration of Patty’s life will be held on Saturday, October 16, at 3:00 PM, both at Holy Childhood of Jesus Catholic Church in Harbor Springs. Masks are encouraged at all events. In lieu of flowers, Patty’s family requests that donations be made to the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (https://www.wrcnm.org/ or 423 Porter Street, Petoskey, MI 49770). 

Arrangements are in the care of Stone Funeral Home, Inc. of Petoskey.