Doreen Forcier

MADISON- Doreen Forcier, age 79, of Madison, passed away on Thursday, July 16, 2020 at Agrace HospiceCare in Fitchburg. She was born on October 21, 1940 in Madison, the daughter of Margaret and Eugene Germain. She married Virgil Forcier on October 15, 1960 at Blessed Sacrament Parish.

She was a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, master knitter, fiber artist, and a friend that we will all miss forever.

Doreen went to school at Blessed Sacrament and Edgewood High. She met her best friend, Virgil, while cruising down East Washington Ave with a friend, which was a favorite pastime back then. They drove to the A&W on Park Street and chatted from their prospective cars. Many years later, once the couple was married with 5 children, Doreen would bring her children to that same A&W after outings to Vilas beach. The family enjoyed traveling in a van, pulling a pop-up camper and exploring many beautiful states and Canada. Summers with Mom were the best, spending days at the beach, stopping for a root beer, and then a drive through the Arboretum. Mom was always there for her family.

Doreen’s first passion was her children and family. Her second passion was her love of yarn. She started knitting at 8 years old and didn’t stop until recently. If you knew Doreen, you knew that she knit while doing everything. She was happy spending time and working at The Knitting Tree and Lakeside Fibers. Doreen was proud to be a Certified Master Knitter and selling her creations at art fairs around Wisconsin. When she wasn’t traveling with Virg, she taught knitting classes for MATC and truly loved teaching her “ladies.” It was the friendship and companionship that fed her soul.

Doreen and Virgil were lucky to travel abroad, enjoyed cruises, and spending time with their many close friends.

Doreen is survived by her husband, Virgil, of almost 60 years; children, Michelle (Rick) Gray, Cheryl (Brian), Scott (Julie), and Chris (Shannon); grandchildren, Noah, Maya, Samuel, Ruby, Colton, and Skyler. She is also survived by her only sibling, Donald Germain. She was preceded in death by her parents, and her son, Steven.

A private graveside ceremony will be held for immediate family. In lieu of flowers, the family wishes for donations to be made to Agrace HospiceCare.

“Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won’t either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on Earth. You are here to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself you tasted as many as you could.” – Louise Erdrich