Forest Henry ‘Woody’ Mayer, 82, Montesano resident and former Coast Guard marine surveyor, died Sunday, March 1, 2020, at JBLM’s Madigan Army Hospital.

Forest was born on Nov. 3, 1937, in East Smethport, Pennsylvania, to Lorenzo and Chrystal (Field) Mayer. He spent his youth on the Dixon Ranch in Colorado Springs, Colorado, prior to his family moving to Los Angeles, California. Following graduation from John Marshall High School, he moved around a lot. He attended Portland State College doing night school.

Forest joined the United States Coast Guard in 1954, and served aboard the cutters Morris, CG-95302, Mallow, Clover, Balsam, Klamath and Sedge, and a number of TAD assignments. He was honorably discharged in 1977, with the rank of chief warrant officer (W3). He also served in the Merchant Marine Inspection division of the U.S Coast Guard with the final three years as commanding officer of the Marine Safety Detachment in Aberdeen, Washington.

Following his service to our country, he was employed as an independent marine surveyor and formed Coastal Marine Surveying and Consulting Inc. in 1977, until his retirement in 2014.

Forest is survived by his children, Shawna Parrott of Crystal Lake, Illinois, and Kim R. Mayer; sister, Kathleen Mitchell of Oak Harbor, Washington; grandchildren, Kelly Schaffert of Missoula, Montana, Jonathan Schaffert of Marysville, Washington, Zachary Jackson of Dallas, Texas, and Kali Jackson of Kansas City, Missouri; brother-in-law, Ted Aynes of Oklahoma City; and Phyllis Vidol of Chacktaw, Oklahoma. Forest was preceded in death by his wife, Thelma Jean (Aynes) Mayer; a daughter, Tammy Schaffert; a son, Kenith M. Mayer; a brother, Michael Mayer; and his parents.

There will be a celebration of life for Forest with military honors on Wednesday, March 11, at 3 p.m. at Twibell’s Fern Hill Funeral Home Chapel in Aberdeen, Washington. Forest’s remains will later be scattered at sea by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Forest asked that donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

A message of condolence or of a memory can be sent to the family at www.fernhillfuneral.com.

Arrangements are entrusted to Twibell’s Fern Hill Funeral Home in Aberdeen, Washington.