Alfred Forde, Sr., age 90, devoted husband and father, passed away December 20th, 2021 in Gilbert, Arizona.

Alfred was born April 1st, 1931 in Manhattan and grew up in Staten Island, New York. As a young man, he enjoyed playing many sports including football, baseball, basketball and bowling. He was particularly proud to play softball and basketball with the Brown Bomber Athletic Club of Staten Island and the Leroy Thompson baseball team. While a student at McKee High School, he was on track and baseball teams.

He enlisted in the army September 29th, 1949 and was sent to Korea with the Second Infantry Division, 9th regiment at the beginning of the Korean War. He was wounded in August 1950, hospitalized in Japan, and wounded again in September of 1950 after returning to combat for which he received the Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster. He returned to combat again in October 1950, rotated back to the U.S. in April 1951, where he was assigned to Fort Dix and later discharged on December 28th, 1952. He is a life member of the National Korean War Veterans Association - Arden A. Rowley Chapter, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and the Second Division Association.

Alfred was married in August 1951 to his first wife, Rosetta Oliver and was widowed in April 1961. Alfred met Mildred Perry on the fourth of July in 1962. After a whirlwind courtship, he proposed that August and they were married on September 1st.

Alfred had a distinguished, 37-year career with AT&T that began in 1953 as an engineer at Nassau Smelting and Refining in Staten Island. During his 28 years as an engineer, he held positions as Associate Engineer, Supervisor of the Engineering Drafting Department, Supervisor of Product and Quality Control, Precious Metal Recovery Supervisor and Air Pollution Control Coordinator. He designed industrial machinery and medical facilities complete with laboratory and x-ray equipment. He also designed high-temperature smokestacks with portholes for testing particulate emissions to satisfy the New York City Department of Air Pollution Control and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. While at Bell Telephone Laboratories, he designed two industrial buildings to house the Design Capability Line Project where they perfected the design of self-recharging, extended-life batteries used for emergency power.

After leaving the engineering department at Nassau in December of 1985, he went to Morristown, New Jersey to join the staff of AT&T Technologies headquarters Vice President Bill Marks. In 1987, he transferred to Newark, New Jersey as coordinator of security for the AT&T Network Systems Gateway Building and the Department of Defense's Northeastern Region Defense Security program where he supervised international security personnel, off-duty Newark police officers and AT&T employees holding government clearances across Connecticut, New York and northern New Jersey. As Safety and Security Coordinator, he was also responsible for the first aid and safety training of employees of AT&T as well as other companies in the 20-story building. He retired January 1st, 1990.

Alfred was a member of the AT&T Telephone Pioneers of America and participated in community service by representing AT&T at the Staten Island and Newark Chamber of Commerce meetings. He participated in the yearly March of Dimes fundraisers, spoke at schools on air pollution control and the daily operation of the Nassau works and served as an advisor to the national Junior Achievement program to better the lives of children.

Alfred always supported the activities in which his children participated including Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, little league baseball, football and children's bowling leagues. After retirement, he enjoyed being a member of the Curtis High School Football Parents club. He loved family, camping and church gatherings. Alfred attended St. Mary's Episcopal Church of Staten Island for 34 years, serving faithfully on the vestry for 20 years where he mainly covered construction and engineering matters. Alfred and Mildred became members of the St. Augustine's Episcopal Parish in Tempe after moving to Arizona in September of 1997.

He will be greatly missed. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Mildred Perry Forde and six surviving children: Alfred Forde Jr. of Arizona, Steven Forde of Arizona, Brian Forde & wife Vicky of New Mexico, Robert Forde of North Carolina, Robin Forde of Arizona, and Jeffrey Forde & wife Tara of Washington State. Alfred also leaves seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, 1 brother-in-law, 2 sisters-in-law, and a host of nieces and nephews, grandnieces and nephews, and great-grandnieces and nephews.

Memorial donations may be made to Oakwood Creative Care.

https://www.oakwoodcreativeca…

Thanks to the resources provided at Oakwood, the families of our members find many benefits, as well. They’re able to remain at work, reduce risk of hospitalization and falls, increase their own quality of life, and decrease family stress and caregiver burnout. Oakwood generally serves elderly individuals and veterans.  

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