DEFOREST, Jasper John

Potterville (MI) News Wednesday, November 18, 1931, p 5 Jasper John DeForest was born in Toledo, Ohio, July 19, 1897. In 1901 the family moved to Lakeview, Michigan, where in 1902 his father Walter U. DeForest passed away. The mother then moved to Lansing where she united in marriage with Nelson Green with whom Jasper was to make his new home. He attended grade school in Potterville, graduated from the eighth grade in Port Huron, studied in high school at Cass Tech, in Detroit where he showed great proficiency in mechanical drawing. For two years he lived with his aunt Mrs Tom Riley of Chesaning, and studied in the high school while there. February 23, 1918 his mother understood he was going with others to saw wood, but the atmosphere of war was everywhere and he heard there was to be a speaker down at the Odd Fellow hall in Potterville, so down he went and the next the family heard was his own voice over the telephone informing them that he had enlisted in the war. He was sent to the Fourth Field Artillery, Battery A at Camp Shelby, Hallisburg, Texas. He was honorably discharged at the close of the war, and again re-enlisted in the Aeronautical Division, first in the lighter than air, then in the heavier than air service. In the balloon service he was a map maker and was called upon to jump, and in jumping the mechanism hit his chin and he was unconscious when he struck the ground. He was then in the plane service and was progressing finely when an accident kept him in the hospital the remainder of his enlistment. He then purchased his own plane and carried passengers from St Petersburg, Florida, to Havana Cuba. He then entered the services services (sic). Mr. Chandy gave Jock one of the bridge that extends the six miles from St Petersburg to Tampa, Florida. At the opening of this great bridge all of the governors of the states and of Cuba were present and shook hands under two American flags. At the conclusion of the services Mr Chand gave Jack one of those flags as a token of his fine services as an engineer. When he met death he was working in Arizona for Robert E. McKee of El Paso, Texas, at work on a special project at Prescott, Arizona. He met his death accidentally in the morning of November 7. He lived but a few hours after his fatal accident, passing away in Whipple Hospital. On January 11, 1931, he was united in marriage to Eugenia Arnold at Tia Jauana by a Catholic priest, in Mexico. He leaves besides his widow, his mother and father, Mr and Mrs Nelson Green, one brother, Deyo DeForest of Flint, and a brother Franklin Green of Potterville. His grandmother, Mrs. Harriett Maurer of this village. His uncles and aunts, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Riley of Chesaning and Mr. and Mrs. Grover DeForest of Lansing, Judge and Mrs. John McClelland and their relatives. He was baptized in the Methodist church of Toledo, Ohio, was a member of the American Legion, and the I.O.O.F. of Dimondale. Funeral services were held in Potterville M.E. church. Rev Karl H Keeler officiated, and the service organizations and the Boy Scouts according to him full military honors. Burial was made at West Windsor. He was a daring adventurous man, never thinking of himself or fearing danger. He was in love with life, especially the great out of doors, and his skill and venturesomeness made him an efficient engineer.