Forrest Addron McCleery

Forrest Addron McCeery left this world on April 18, 2026, and stepped into eternity. Forrest was born on February 13, 1922 in Tom Green County to John Joseph McCleery & Lillian Hobbs McCleery. Forrest was raised on a family farm in San Angelo,Texas during the depression, with 3 brothers and 2 sisters. They all learned about hard work, farming and picking cotton. Their priorities were always God first and family, in that order. They were taught not to just look after yourselves and you're family, but to help their neighbors and serve and share with others, even during the hard times. 

Forrest attended School in San Angelo,Texas and later joined the Coast Guard in 1942. In 1944 he married the Love of his life, Rose Allie King McCleery, who just happened to be his Sister Lois's best friend. They were stationed in New Orleans, Louisiana. After the war ended, Forrest left the Military and He and Rose moved back to San Angelo, where he worked for the Highway Dept., and they were able to buy their first house and start a family. 

They welcomed their first child Brenda in 1946. In 1949, they were blessed with a baby boy Steve, and in 1953, they welcomed another daughter Tina. In 1958, Forrest and Rose decided to move to Odessa, Texas where he still worked for the Highway Department. After moving to Odessa, they quickly found a church family at the Sherwood Church of Christ where Forrest served as both a deacon and an Elder, and where they both taught bible classes. They raised their family to Love God, family, and all people. Forrest retired from the Highway Department in 1977 and bought Allstate Machine. After suffering a major stroke at 82, he was forced to close Allstate Machine. The Dr. told them that if he woke up from the stroke, that he would be blind and a vegetable because the CT showed no brain activity, so the family prayed, and God answered those prayers. He recuperated from that stroke. He would wake up every morning and have breakfast ready for Rose. He put on a pot of red beans every week, and Rose would cook the rest and make the best corn bread to go with beans. In the early years, Forrest wasn't afraid to rock babies, hang out clothes, or cut up and fry a chicken. Forrest and Rose were a team. 

Forrest was the best grandpa ever, always finding time to pick you up from school & drive thru McDonalds for a kids meal. He would take you fishing and teach you how to fry up the fish in corn meal and eat it with maple syrup. He would build a ramp for you to jump your bike, or take time to build a pair of stilts. If it was nap time, and you were struggling to go to sleep, he might put on A Bob Wills record, and dance you around on his shoulder until you were fast asleep. He bought each Grandkid their first vehicle, although they were used vehicles, he was so excited to surprise them with it. 

Forrest spent many hours working on people's vehicles and never took pay for it. He would spend many a night sittingup all night with people at the hospital, only to go home, clean up and go strait to work. After his beloved Rose passed away, Forrest, at the age of 95, stayed busy mowing or wnatever ne round to do to keep busy. It wasn't unusual to find him at Sam's early in the morning, buying watermelons to anonymously leave on people's porch. We started calling him the "watermelon bandit." 

Forrest moved to Brooksdale in 2019 at the age of 97. He was still driving at 101, at which time he willingly gave up his license. At 104, he still dressed himself every day and after making his bed and eating breakfast would walk every day around the cul-de-sac next to Brooksdale with his Trump hat on, sometimes making the rounds 3 times. He was uniquely amazing and will be missed. 

Preceding Forrest in death are his parents, his beloved wife Rose, his daughter Brenda Bishop and his son, Dr.Steve McCleery, Great Granddaughter's, Wrenley James Gray and Jaycie Villanueva, his siblings: Irene McCleery, Ida Mae Craft, John McCleery, Bill McCleery, and Seely McCleery. 

He is survived by a daughter, Tina Nelms and Husband Steve, of Odessa,Texas, a sister, Lois Ferguson of Abilene,Texas, Daughter in law, Lynda McCleery of Lubbock, Texas, Granddaughter Hollee Gray of Amarillo Texas, Grandson, Jason Belcher of New York, NY, Grandson Denver Nelms of Odessa, Texas, Granddaughter, Lyndsey Cross of Lubbock Texas, Granddaughter, Stevie Villanueva of Odessa, Texas, and Granddaughter, Brittanee Weimer, of Hobbs, NM., 9 great grandkids and two great great grandchildren and numerous nieces & nephews.

The family would like to especially thank the Special staff at Brooksdale for their care of Forrest, the last 7yrs. We are so appreciative to each one of you who loved him, even when he was having a bad day. 

Services will be Friday, April 24, 2026 at 10:00 AM at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home in the Chapel, with Denver Nelms (Grandson) officiating. Graveside to follow. In lieu of Flowers, for those Memorials can be sent to the Steve & Lynda McCleery endowment for education fund at the Children's Home of Lubbock or The Michael J. Fox Parkinson’s Foundation. The ICM Water Well Ministries, or the India Children’s Ministry, or Charity of your choice.