Elizabeth "Patsy" Hardie Forrest

Elizabeth “Patsy” Forrest died peacefully on August 16, 2025, at the Quadrangle in Haverford, PA. She was the daughter of the late James Hardie and Elizabeth Todd. She was a devoted wife to two husbands over her lifetime - Dr. Frederick “Buzz” Lind (d. 1980) and William “Bill” Forrest (d. 2017). She is survived by her four children Peter (Mary), Tim (Ann), Becky (Doug), and Eric (Allison), seven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren; stepchildren Kathy (Dick), Dick (Maryanne), and Chip and their extended families; and two brothers Logan and Tom (her brother James preceded her death).

 

Patsy was born in Pittsburgh and met her first husband Buzz there in September 1947. They met at a party right after she had a car accident, leaving her with a broken arm and Buzz offered to take her to the doctor the next day. She attended Chatham and then Smith College before they were married in November 1951. She then spent time in New Haven, CT while Buzz attended Yale Medical School, and they then moved to Frankfurt, Germany where he served as a doctor

and captain in the US Army. Next, they landed on the Main Line outside of Philadelphia in 1958 where Buzz started his residency at Bryn Mawr Hospital.

 

Patsy immediately became a very active volunteer with the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair whose philanthropy is closely tied to Bryn Mawr Hospital. She served as the chairwoman of the Country Fair side of the show in 1970 and volunteered her time at the show for over 55 years.

Her time on the Main Line included homes in Narberth, Wynnewood, Villanova, and Devon but her favorite homes were a cottage on a lake near Huntsville, Ontario and a house in Avalon, NJ. The cottage (called Penbryn) was purchased by her mother in the mid-1940s, and it became her annual retreat. This retreat was a great reflection of her love for family, friends, food, games, and being active. Avalon became another significant home in 1982 when she married Bill. She enjoyed entertaining family there every summer as well as hosting an annual girl’s weekend with all of her friends from the Main Line.

 

Her love of food was always evident but lobster in Avalon may have been her favorite. Whether it was a meal she cooked or she was dining out, she would often exclaim “this is the best dish I have ever had.” She passed that love of food and being present in the moment on to her children. She loved to swim, sail, waterski, and play tennis as well as ski and bowl. Her skiing involved an annual trip to Europe, and her bowling was with a team from the Merion Cricket Club.

 

A memorial service will be held at the chapel in Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church on Friday September 26, 2025, at 11 am with calling hours at 10:30 am. The church address is 625 Montgomery Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Diabetes Association Diabetes Research, Education, Advocacy | ADA  or Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church.