Theodora Heise was the second daughter of four
known born to Leo Heise and his wife, Gertrude Mellin, of which Theodora is the
only one known to have survived to adulthood. Theodora was born on 28 April
1900 in Iroquois County, IL.
Theodora married John Leone Forgue (known as
Leo) in 1920 and resided in Kankakee, IL. They had one son, William E (Bill),
born in 1927.
Theodora Heise's obituary appeared in the Kankakee, Illinois Daily Journal
on Sunday, June 6th, 1976:
"Services will be held
at 10 am Monday at Clancy Funeral home for Mrs.Theodora Forbes, 76, of 1116 S.
Osborn Ave. Mrs. Forbes died at 3:50 a.m. Friday at Riverside Hospital after a
days illness. She was a retired office employee of the Roper Stove Co., where
she had worked 39 years. She had lived in Kankakee for 54 years and was a
member of Asbury United Methodist Church. The Rev. Earl J. Bruso will conduct
services. Burial will be in Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be after 2 p.m.
today and until time of services Monday. Mrs. Forbes was born April 28,
1900 in Gilman, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leo Heise. She was married in 1920
to Leo Forgue. She is survived by a son, William E. of Kankakee"
There was a follow-up
article in the next day's paper which read;
"Funeral services for
Mrs. Todora (sic) Forbes, 76, 1116 S. Osborn Ave., who died Friday, were held
at 10 a.m. today. The Rev. Earl J. Bruso officiated at the services at the
Clancy Funeral Home. Pallbearers were John Worby, Angelo Petroni, Joseph
Gerencher, Wally Gagnier, Donald Jackson and Thomas Hoffman. Burial was in
Memorial Gardens."
The unusual circumstance
that Theodora went by the name Forbes, while her husband (and son) were named
Forgue was no typographical error. More than one possible explanation has been
proposed, however the truth is not known, as neither Theodora, Leo, nor William
(Bill) is alive to tell the tale. One story has it that Leo and Theodora were
divorced shortly after Bill was born, and she then changed her name to Forbes
in order to distance herself from her ex-husband. Another story says that there
were so many Forgues in Kankakee that the mail kept getting misdelivered, and
that she changed her name to avoid complications.