HENRY — Forrest R. Koenen Jr., 65, of Henry passed away Monday, Nov. 12, 2012, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria following a short courageous battle with leukemia.

He was born on Dec. 17, 1946, in Spring Valley to Forrest R. "Bob" and Sophie Koenen. He graduated from St. Bede Academy in 1965 and also attended Illinois Valley Community College before entering the Navy in 1966. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1966 to 1972 during the Vietnam War and was in the Gulf of Tonkin aboard the USS Oriskany. He graduated from Western Illinois University in 1974 and completed advanced degrees at Northern Illinois University and Illinois State University. For 30 years he was involved in education and finally became superintendent at Ohio, Ill., retiring in 2005. He married Linda Goebel on Aug. 2, 1993, in Lacon. He was a member of St. Louis Catholic Church. He was a sports fanatic, enjoyed running, NASCAR and golf. He was a former Starved Rock Runner and coached basketball and golf. He was also a member of the Henry American Legion.

Survivors include his parents; his wife Linda; two children, Matthew Robert (Allissa) Koenen of Minnesota and Marla Maubach of Buda; and three grandchildren, Eliott Koenen, and Colton and Mallory Maubach-Williams.