Melinda Gostel Forbes
03/08/1949 - 03/24/2022
Obituary For Melinda Gostel Forbes
Virginia Beach - Melinda Gostel Forbes, 73, caring wife, mother, sister, daughter, and friend, died in Virginia Beach March 24, 2022, after an extended battle with Covid Pneumonia, exacerbated by being immunocompromised due to ongoing cancer treatments. A native of Norfolk, she was predeceased by her parents Julius "Gus" and Marilyn Morgan Gostel, and her brother Robert Mark Gostel.
Melinda was a member of the Norview High School Class of 1967 and earned a BA in English from Old Dominion in 1971. Upon graduation she began her 38-year career with The Virginian-Pilot newspaper, starting as a writer for the Virginia Beach Beacon, and eventually editing the popular Food and Garden section of The Pilot. She greatly enjoyed the newspaper's dynamic atmosphere and her energetic, thoughtful and artistic colleagues, many of whom she has stayed in contact with since retirement.
A dedicated gardener, Melinda loved visualizing and realizing multi-year perennial gardens along the Cavalier Shores "Cavalier Walkway." She was an avid bird enthusiast, and mastered the techniques to attract many rare and unusual birds to her feeders, even providing for the over-wintering of several hummingbirds. She was an accomplished cook and enjoyed helping others through her occasional work at her favorite kitchen store at Hilltop. A voracious reader, she spent many hours reading on the back of a Harley Davidson on multiple Western adventures. She loved the Virginia Beach lifestyle and never considered living anywhere else once she rented a house in Old Beach with friends, got a job at an iconic beachfront pancake house, and met her eventual husband Curtis. The Morgan family farms and Old Davis Town Cemetery in Iron City, Alabama always held a place in her heart.
Her family, near family, and a large circle of loving friends from the Cavalier Shores community of North Beach, supported Melinda and the Forbes family through multiple bouts with cancer and most recently, an extended hospitalization. Her family is deeply grateful for this support.
She is survived by her husband, Curtis Worth Forbes, and daughter, Paige Morgan Forbes of Virginia Beach; Capt. Julius Gostel Jr., USN ret., and wife, Bobbie, of Viera, FL; Keith Gostel and wife, Sheree, of Quinton VA; and John Gostel and wife, Mary, of Fairfax VA. Melinda was always the "Favorite Aunt" to her many nieces and nephews: Matt, Andrew, Chris, Felix, Morgan, Melissa, Harley, Laura, Robbie, Camryn, Meghan, Amanda, Cullen and Virginia. She leaves behind her cat, Ivan.
Melinda was thankful for the considerate and compassionate care of the physicians and nursing staff at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital's ICU, Step Down and Oncology units.
A celebration of life will be at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5th, at Virginia Beach United Methodist Church, 212 19th St, Virginia Beach. A reception will follow at an off-site location. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Melinda's memory to local animal care organizations or other local charities.
Simply Cremation is assisting her family. Online condolences may be expressed at SimplyCremationOnline.com.
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