John F. Forner Jr.

John F. Forner Jr., a longtime resident of Menands and the Capital District, passed away on Monday, May 11, 2015, at his home in Bonita Springs. He is the beloved husband of Nancy Smith Forner; father of John (Karen) Forner III of Menands, Christine Tafralian of Altadena, Calif., Dr. Leonard (Cathy) Forner of Simsbury, Conn., Peter (Gladys) Forner of Harlem, Ga., Bonnie (Paul) Reuscher of Spencerport, N.Y. Frederick Fleitz of Oswego, N.Y. and Wendy Fleitz of Latham; also survived by 14 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Mr. Forner was for many years a practicing attorney in the city of Albany. He was a graduate of Christian Brothers Academy, class of 1939, where he has been for many years the oldest living ex-Cadet Colonel of the CBA Regiment. He was a graduate of Manhattan College in New York City where he received a bachelor of arts degree with honors in January of 1943 and in January of 1948, he graduated from Albany Law School where he received his LLB, JD degree with honors. In 1942, Mr. Forner enlisted in the U.S. Army and was called to active duty in January 1943. He spent 27 months overseas in an ordnance and then in an engineering outfit in the 3rd Corps of the First Army in all of its campaigns from Normandy to Central Europe. On his campaign ribbons, he was entitled to wear five battle stars. He served honorably until his discharge in November of 1945. After passing the New York State Bar exam in March of 1948, Mr. Forner was admitted to the Bar and served two years as an attorney in the New York State Tax Department. In January of 1951, he joined the Albany law firm of Hon. Ellis J. Staley, Jr. and Hon. William K. Stanford and remained in the firm as a partner until the end of 1973. In his public life, Mr. Forner served as police justice in the Village of Menands from 1948 until 1960; as mayor of Menands from 1960 to 1975; as a legal aide in the New York State Senate from 1951 until 1954, when he became associated in the New York State Assembly with then Assemblyman Malcolm Wilson. He served as Wilson's personal counsel in the Assembly until 1958. When Mr. Wilson became lieutenant governor in January of 1959, Mr. Forner stayed with him as counsel until 1973 when Mr. Wilson was elevated to governor of the State of New York upon the resignation of Gov. Nelson Rockefeller. Mr. Forner served Governor Wilson during his two years as governor and served Attorney General Louis Leftkowitz as an assistant attorney general in charge of the Real Property Bureau from 1975 until his retirement from state service at the end of 1976. He then returned to private practice in Albany until his full retirement in 1987. He became a resident of Lake George in 1994 until selling his Lake George residence in 2003. During his career, Mr. Forner also served as an original member and chairman of the Capital District State Park Commission from 1966 until 1975; as an original member of the Albany County Sewer Commission from its inception until 1994; as a member of the Character Committee of the Third Department of the New York State Bar for a number of years until his retirement from active practice. He also has been a member of the Albany County Bar and New York State Bar Associations, a life member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He has been a communicant of St. Joan of Arc Church in Menands since his family moved to Menands in 1927. Relatives and friends are invited to attend a memorial Mass at St. Joan of Arc Church in Menands at a time and date to be announced. Interment with Military Honors will be in Saratoga National Cemetery. There will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, Mr. Forner had requested that donations be made to St. Joan of Arc Building Fund or the Christian Brothers Academy Development Fund. Arrangements by are being handled by Shikany's Bonita Funeral Home.

John F. Forner Jr.

October 15, 1921 - May 11, 2015