William Scott Forbes, P. E., age 63, of Celina, TX, passed away on Friday, December 29, 2023 at Mercy One Medical Center in Des Moines.
Funeral services will be held at 2:30 P.M. on Friday, January 5, 2024 at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll with Rev. Anna Small officiating.
Visitation will be held at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home from 1:30 P.M. on Friday until the time of service.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com
Scott, as he was known to most, was born on October 26, 1960. He grew up in Carroll and graduated from Carroll High School, 1979. He graduated from lowa State University, College of Engineering, with a BS in Civil Engineering in 1984.Scott worked as a Civil Engineer starting at Snyder & Associates in Ankeny. Then Veenstra & Kimm (V&K) in West Des Moines. Since he was always an entrepreneur at heart, Scott and Jane moved to Coralville, Iowa in 1997 so Scott could open the first branch office for V&K. After three years there, it was time to move to Texas so Scott could play golf year round. His number one hobby. In Texas, Scott worked for a number of different engineering firms as Senior Project Manager, Chief Operations Officer, Dallas Office Manager and eventually the Business Development Leader with Garver Engineering. As the Business Development Leader, Scott was responsible for supporting all marketing for all the Garver business lines and grew the staff from 12 to over 30. Scott loved pursuing and winning work. He was an important connection bringing together engineering minds with sales skills to win engineering contracts. In his most recent role as the Transportation Key Pursuits Leader for Garver, he worked closely with the Garver Transportation employees who pursue engineering contracts (called the Seller/Doers) working on client strategy, messaging, proposal development and interview preparation. Scotts greatest skill was mentoring others. From CEO’s to those starting their careers, Scott’s guidance came with experience, care, compassion and firmness. Many have said that their career would not be at its current level without Scott’s mentoring.
Golf was Scott’s greatest passion. At the age of 7, his mother bought him a small set of golf clubs and he would go to the Municipal course in Carroll and play almost every day. While living in Ankeny, he and his friend Mike would get in a 9 hole round in the mornings before work. In addition to being a great golfer, he was also a great golf coach. He taught Jane how to play the game to the point she sometimes outdrove him off the tee ( from the women’s tee with a 100 foot advantage) But Scott was also a gifted athlete playing as the quarterback on their high school football team, one of the lead scorers on the basketball team (with an amazing jump shot), and running the 220 in track. He continued basketball and golf in college, as well as playing many softball games and tournaments with Jane and friends. Scott also loved peanut M&M’s.
Growing up in Carroll, Scott met his wife Jane in March of 1977 when she asked him to the Sadie Hawkins dance. Scott and Jane dated for 6 years through high school and college and married on June 30, 1984. Married for almost 40 years they enjoyed golfing, walking, sports, and hanging out with friends and family.
Scott is survived by his wife Jane, his Mother Helen, and two brothers, Greg and Steven (Theresa), and several nieces and nephews.
Jane requests that in lieu of flowers, she is accepting donations. All donations will be put towards the Scott Forbes Scholarship at the Texas Chapter of WTS (Women in Transportation Society). Scott spent most of his engineering career in the transportation industry working on road ways and water ways. WTS is an international organization that promotes women in the transportation industry. Scholarships will be given each year to women engineering students (and especially women of color) at the WTS annual state banquet in Texas. Scott was a member of this organization and has spoken at their annual banquet. Scott was a huge supporter of women in the engineering field.
