Mark Forbes, whose family operated the corner drug store in Houston, has died.
Mr. Forbes, 56, died Sunday night following a lengthy battle with cancer. Services are 10 a.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church, Houston. A visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Evans Funeral Home in Houston.
At age 5, with a missing front tooth, sporting a broad smile and wearing a spotted leopard Halloween costume, he graced the front page of the Houston Herald on Nov. 2, 1961. Years later he was operating the iconic drug store in downtown Houston.
A 1975 graduate of Houston High School, he was closely associated with athletics and his love for football — whether it be the red and black of Houston High School or the black and gold of the MU Tigers — you could expect to see him cheering.
Over the years, he coached Mighty Mite football, organized an alumni event named the “Geezer Bowl” that raised money for the football program and cheered on the football program as a leader of the Big Red Quarterback Club.
His passion knew no bounds: In 2004 he arranged for a helicopter to drop a stuffed dummy decked out in a Cameron football uniform before the Tigers took on the team in the state semi-final game at Tiger Stadium. The occasion was a downtown pep rally at Lone Star Plaza — property that the Forbes family donated for its creation.
For years, his family was connected with Houston and the downtown business district. He was the fifth generation of his family to become a pharmacist. In 2007, the chamber recognized the business as Houston’s longest operating business front. It was established in 1866.
In 1992, he led the Houston Area Chamber of Commerce as its president. Later, he was recognized with Lifetime Achievement Award from the chamber.
Since returning to his hometown, he contributed much to the community. For years, he was the drive and passion for the Emmett Kelly Clown Festival. It was the perfect event for him.
In typical fashion, he dressed the part in downtown Houston and was eventually featured in a PBS program that highlighted the Midwest festival.
And Houston celebrated with him many times: In 2009, he was the grand marshal of the homecoming parade — wearing his slightly snug HHS letter jacket and muscle car he had built.
Three years earlier, he was celebrating in his 50th birthday with a typical Forbes drug store promotion with discounts on everything from walkers and canes to painrelated medication in the store that he helped transform from pharmacy to Houston’s retail hub — where you could get a meal at the fountain and pick up a gift on your way out of the door.
It was one of his typical promotions: As chamber president he promised that he’d have barber Chester Herndon clip him bald if 800 advance tickets were sold to a county fair concert. For a Hospice of Care fund-raiser he was crowned “King of the Luau.”
His service to this community was felt in other ways: A longtime trustee on the Texas County Memorial Hospital board and booster of the Houston Schools. His annual thank you for his generosity are siren-blaring red fire trucks loaded with first graders stopping at the corner drug store to express their thanks.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Houston Schools music department, Houston Schools football department, Texas County Library or cancer research.