Florence L. Forrester

Mother of Amy Forrester Schoenholz. It was Florence's wish to be cremated. There will be a Memorial Service at a later date. Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation. Florence “Penny” (Cline) Forrester was born on October 13, 1943, in Brooklyn, New York, to Wallace D. Cline and Florence Ethel (Viehman) Cline. She died on Sunday, April 12, 2026 at Fillmore County Hospital at the age of 82 years, 5 months and 30 days. During World War II, her father was serving overseas, so Penny was born in her mother’s home in New York. After her father returned from the War, the family moved to a farm outside of Tryon, Nebraska. Penny spent her childhood there, forming bonds with every animal she met—Nesbit the dog, Georgie the sheep, and Kathryn the pig among them. She rode to school in a horse-drawn wagon with neighboring children and survived the historic Blizzard of 1949. In the 1950s, the family relocated to North Platte, Nebraska, where summers were spent at Lake Maloney. It was there that Penny became an expert water skier. She also had a lesser-known but remarkable talent for baton twirling—even mastering fire batons with impressive skill. Penny later met Robert “Bob” Forrester, a friend of her father. The two married in 1960 and had two children, Scott and Amy. Together, Penny and Bob shared their love of the outdoors with their family through hunting, fishing, camping, and snow skiing. Though their children enjoyed these activities, they would jokingly admit they never quite matched their parents’ skiing abilities because they were klutzes. Penny and Bob went their separate ways in 1979 but remained lifelong friends, exemplifying respect and kindness after divorce. Throughout her life, Penny worked as a nurse—a profession she returned to time and again and one she truly loved. She was known for her compassion, skill, and dedication to others. Fearless and adventurous, Penny fulfilled a lifelong dream by moving to Vail, Colorado, embracing mountain life and skiing as often as she could. She later lived in Wellington and Castle Rock, always a mountain girl at heart. Eventually, she returned to North Platte to be closer to family and resumed her nursing career. After the passing of her mother, Penny made one final move to Ogallala, Nebraska, to be near her beloved sister Kathy. There, she built strong friendships and embraced lake life. She was a founding member of AGCO (All Girl Campout) and the Turkey Feather Tribe, cherishing time spent camping at Lake McConaughy and along the Niobrara River. Penny and her sister Kathy shared many adventures, traveling together from Germany to Mexico. They also created lasting memories with their grandsons, including a special trip to The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, where their playful spirit led them to upgrade rooms each day until they were enjoying a grand suite. Penny was known for her restless spirit—she always had “ants in her pants,” as her mother would say—and rarely stayed in one place for long. In 2024, Penny moved in with her daughter Amy in Bruning, Nebraska, when she was no longer able to live alone. While she treasured that time with Amy, her heart always remained in Ogallala with her sister Kathy. Penny will be deeply missed by all who knew her. She was truly one of a kind. She was preceded in death by her parents, Wallace and Florence Cline; her son, Scott Forrester; her sister, Kathy Edwards; and her former husband, Robert “Bob” Forrester. She is survived by her daughter, Amy (Forrester) Schoenholz and her partner Britt O’Brien; her grandchildren, Jacob Schoenholz, Michael McCray, and Greer Forrester; her brother-in-law, Norman “Punch” Edwards; her nephew, David (Shawna) Edwards and their children, Wally and Liza; and her niece, Kate (Edwards) Jorgenson and her children, Sam and Eda.

Tributes

Florence L. Forrester

October 13, 1943 - April 12, 2026