Eugene V. Forsythe, 88, of Mexia, passed away April 19, 2010 in Waco. Funeral services will be at 11am, Saturday April 24 at The First United Methodist Church in Mexia with Rev. Brad Brittain officiating. Graveside services will be at 3 pm in Hico, Texas. Visitation with the family will be 6-8pm Friday, at Blair-Stubbs Funeral Home. Eugene was born February 17, 1922, in Somervell County Texas, five miles South East of Glen Rose in the Rock Creek Community to Clayton and Ara (Hudgins) Forsythe. He grew up on a farm and walked 5 miles to town to attend school. He graduated from Glen Rose High School. He enlisted in the United States Air Force because he said if he did not enlist that he would have been drafted into the Army, but he preferred to fly than walk. He served his country as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force from October 1942 to May 1950. Eugene was a 1st Lieutenant with the 27th Fighter Group. During and after the war he piloted around 2,300 flying hours. During the war he piloted the B-24, B-25, and P-51 from Aden, Arabia into Karachi, Pakistan. He also transported materials into Libya after the war ended with Japan. He served in the Air Force from 1942 to 1950. While he served he met and married his wife, Caroline. Eugene graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1955 with a degree in Civil Engineering. He worked for the Texas Department of Transportation in Waco and Limestone County. After retiring as resident engineer of Limestone County he was active in city government in Mexia where he served on the city council as a city commissioner, mayor pro-tem and mayor. Eugene referred to himself as a "country boy" and enjoyed bird hunting such as dove, quail, and pheasant. He was a sports enthusiast and especially enjoyed rooting for the Texas Longhorns during football season. He was preceded in death by his wife, Caroline, of 57 years in 2002; his parents; his brothers Doyle and Dewey Forsythe; his sisters Pearl Hawkins, Callie Hawkins, and Latha Keenum. He is survived by his son, Robert Forsythe, and daughter, Jane Lacy, both of Houston, Texas. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Jay Forsythe, Laura Forsythe Browning, and husband, Rob, Sarah Lacy Nuschler and husband, Gary, John Lacy and wife, Keiko, and Mary Lacy. Pallbearers will be Jay Forsythe, Capt. Robert Browning, John Lacy and Gary Nuschler. Honorary pallbearers will be W. N. Stone and Tommy Vaughn. He was greatly loved by friends and family and will be sorely missed. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gibbs Memorial Library, 305 E. Rusk, Mexia, Tx. 76667 and the Mexia Academic Sweater program, P. O. Box 534, Mexia, Tx. 76667.