Ella Mae Forbush, 101, formerly of New Castle PA, went to be with her Lord on Friday morning, March 14, 2025, after a brief illness.
She was born in Shenango township near Duck Run, Castlewood, PA, on October 6, 1923, to the late Harry Edward Ort and Lyda Pearl Ewing Ort. Ella Mae graduated from Shenango High School in 1941. She married Chauncey J Forbush on February 18, 1944.
Before her marriage, Ella Mae worked in the office of the former National Tube Company Ellwood Works. In 1950 she became one of the founders and the co-owner of Forbush Frozen Custard, with her husband and Forbush in-laws, and worked there until retiring in 1984. In retirement, Ella Mae and Chauncey enjoyed spending time at the family camp near Marienville, PA, traveling, and attending auctions. After Chauncey’s death in 2016, Ella Mae enjoyed spending time with her family.
Ella Mae was a faithful and longtime member of the Castlewood Alliance Church, joining it in 1936. She was loving, kind, and generous to all, and especially to her family. She was an expert seamstress, making many outfits for her daughters, their dolls, and she made both daughter’s wedding dresses. An excellent cook and baker, Ella Mae was well known for baking delicious ham balls, banana nut cake, huge raisin-filled sugar cookies, and all kinds of pies.
Ella Mae was preceded in death by, her parents, her husband and one sister, Mary Elizabeth Byers.
She is survived by her two daughters: Janet L (and the Rev Jerry W) Zuvers of Portage, PA, and Patricia R. (and Dr. Steven P.) Wilson, of New Castle, PA. Also surviving are two grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, her sister, Annabel Fombelle, of New Castle, PA, and several nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the staff of Avalon Springs Care Center, Mercer, PA, for their sensitive, loving care and friendship with Ella Mae the past two years.
Friends will be received from 10:00 A.M. until the time of the service at 12 noon on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at
Turner-Hyde Funeral Home of Ellwood City, with the Rev. Jerry W. Zuvers, the Rev. Charles L. Fombelle, and the Rev. James R. O’Hara officiating. Interment will follow in North Sewickley Cemetery, North Sewickley Township.
Interment will follow in North Sewickley Cemetery, North Sewickley Township.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made, in Mrs. Forbush’s name, to the Castlewood Alliance Church, 660 Harmony Baptist Road, New Castle, PA 16101.
Arrangements entrusted to the TURNER FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICES located at 6th and Park in Ellwood City.
What a wonderful legacy Ella Mae left for her family and all those who loved her. So happy to know about her life, a life of fulfillment and of blessing for so many. I’ve heard about her delicious pies. God’s blessings on all and thank you for sharing.
I met Ella Mae when I was invited by her family to spend holidays in her home, starting Thanksgiving in 1966. (I was attending university in New York City, far from my home in the Seattle area.)
My mother’s family had met Chauncey in a similar manner when he and other military men were invited to their home for a holiday meal.
When I visited her home, there was something special about that place that, as C S Lewis described it, was the “scent of heaven.” (I had no idea at the time what it was that was so special about the family.)
Eventually, I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior and later learned that they had been praying for me. The family encouraged me as I went on to seminary, was ordained, and served the Lord as a missionary in West Africa.