Dawn M. (Henderson) Forest

Dawn (Henderson) Forest, 43, of Fredericksburg passed away on Thursday, January 13, 2022 at her home after a short, non-covid related illness.

Dawn was born on October 27, 1978 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her family relocated to Hobbs, NM in February 1982 where she attended Sanger Elementary School, Highland Junior High, and Hobbs High School where she graduated in 1997. Dawn then attended New Mexico Junior College and later transferred to the New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising with a minor in Marketing. She relocated to Lubbock, Texas after graduating from college and then moved in January 2008 to Greeley, Colorado where she worked at the University of Northern Colorado.

Dawn married Russell "Dean" Forest, Jr. on May 31, 2011 in Oahu, Hawaii while he was on leave from his overseas deployment to Iraq while serving in the United States Army.  In 2012, Dawn and Dean relocated to Bristow, VA where they were blessed with their daughter, Sydney Anne Forest, in 2013. In February of 2014, they relocated to Fredericksburg, VA. Dawn held a love for animals and landed her dream job with the Fredericksburg SPCA in 2020 as a Matchmaker for adoptions and foster homes of animals.

Dawn is survived by her husband, Russell "Dean" Forest, Jr; daughter Sydney Forest; parents Debbie and Joe Henderson; brother Jimmy Henderson; in-laws Jenny and Stephen Bridgeforth, Rusty and Sharon Forest, Melissa Forest, Jenna and Joe Lujan, Hollie and Justin Dolan, Angie Henderson; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 ET on Saturday, January 22, 2022 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Fredericksburg, VA. The service will be live-streamed on the Church's website: https://www.youtube.com/c/SaintPatrickCatholicChurchFredericksburgVA.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made to the Fredericksburg, VA SPCA https://fredspca.org/donate/.