Matthew Philip Forrester

Matthew Philip Forrester, age 65, of Madison, Indiana, and the son of the late Richard "Dick" and Betty Lou (Schrader) Forrester, was born on October 5, 1956, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. From a young age, he was a hard worker having a paper route with his father and brother in his hometown of Columbia City, Indiana, and later working at his grandparents' meat market during high school. Matt graduated from Columbia City High School in 1975 and received his Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Wabash College in 1979, after finishing his coursework a semester early. He soon joined the State of Indiana as an examiner for the Department of Financial Institutions which allowed him to travel all over the state. Matt joined Home Loan Savings Bank of Fort Wayne in 1985 as Assistant Treasurer. While working at Home Loan Bank, Matt earned his Master of Science degree in Business Administration in 1987 from St. Francis College. It was also during that time that he met the love of his life, Andrea L. McKinley and the two were united in marriage at Columbia City First Church of God on September 12, 1987. This union was blessed with a son, Andrew, in 1989, and a daughter, Meghan in 1991.

Over the course of fourteen years at Home Loan Bank, Matt ascended to Senior Vice President, Treasurer, and CFO, and served the community on the Fort Wayne Neighborhood Housing Partnership and was a member of Kiwanis and Toastmasters. In 1999, he accepted the position of Chief Executive Officer and President of River Valley Financial Bank in Madison. He was noted saying at that time, "Our family is very community oriented and Madison affords us a chance to be part of, and hopefully a contributing member of social, service, and church organizations." Over the course of the next 22 years, he lived out that goal as a devoted community servant. While in Madison, he was a board member (often serving as President or Chairman) of the Madison-Jefferson County Community Foundation, Girls Inc., Madison Education Foundation, Indiana Bankers Association, Madison Rotary Club, Madison Redevelopment Commission, Madison State Hospital Reuse Commission, and the Jefferson County Industrial Development Corporation.

He was a founding member of Jane's Kids and La Casa Amiga, and served on the Hanover College Board of Trustees from 2010 to 2018, and as a Director for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis from 2010 to 2017. His community service also included chairing capital campaigns for Ivy Tech's Madison Campus, Girls Inc., and Madison's Bicentennial Committee. Matt was named a Sagamore of the Wabash by Governor Eric J. Holcomb in 2019, was the 2014 recipient of the Jeff Garrett Community Service Award by the Madison Chamber of Commerce, and was among a handful of Jefferson County residents selected to participate as a torchbearer during Indiana's 2016 Bicentennial Celebration. He retired as the Regional Chairman from German American Bank in 2018.

Over the last fifteen years, Matt and his family have been faithful partners of North Madison Christian Church, where he served as an elder and a small group leader. After his retirement, Matt enjoyed traveling with his wife, being "Bobo" to his three grandchildren that he adored, and helping with the food giveaway, funeral dinner ministry, and several Bible studies at his church. In his spare time, he enjoyed attending Hanover College Basketball games, was a lifelong Purdue Boilermakers fan, and had a love for Ford cars. Mr. Forrester entered his eternal home with Jesus on Thursday, April 21, 2022 at the Jewish Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky with his loving family by his side.

His life will be cherished by his wife of almost 35 years, Andrea "Andy" Forrester of Madison; his children: Andrew Forrester and his wife, Kendra of Indianapolis, Indiana and Meghan Welty and her husband, Brye of Hanover, Indiana; his grandchildren: Graham Welty, Kenton Forrester, and Quinn Welty; his brother: Mark Forrester and his wife, Connie of Columbia City, Indiana; his in-laws: James "Jim" and Vonne McKinley of Columbia City; his sister-in-law: Marsha Vermilion and her husband, Ron of Marion, Indiana; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother: John Scott Forrester; his infant brother: David Richard Forrester; and his brother-in-law: Gregory Wayne McKinley.

Pastor Bob Hicks and Pastor Brye Welty will conduct funeral services at 2:00 PM Monday, April 25, 2022 at North Madison Christian Church, 1400 E. State Road 62, Madison with interment to follow in Fairmount Cemetery. Friends and family may call at the North Madison Christian Church from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM Sunday, April 24, 2022, and from 12:00 PM until the time of the service on Monday.

The family requests memorial contributions be made to North Madison Christian Church or the Life Choices Clinic Endowment at the Community Foundation of Madison and Jefferson County. Contributions may be made at the Lytle Welty Funeral Home or below.

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