Forsyth Bacon Jr., better known as Tony Bacon, left this world on
Wednesday afternoon, September 2, 2009. Born March 31, 1929, to
Colonel Forsyth and Helane Bacon. Beloved brother to Mary (Bacon)
Clark. All of whom were waiting for him in the great beyond with
bourbon in hand. Tony fought a long hard battle against leukemia for
the last two years. He experienced a couple of remissions during
which time he celebrated his 40th wedding anniversary and 80th
birthday.
Where do you start telling about someone who has touched so many
people over the course of a lifetime? The Bacon family will do its
best. For every day of Tony’s life there is a story by as many
people. There will never be enough print space to tell them all.
Tony Bacon lived in Vancouver his entire life. He graduated from
Vancouver High School in 1946. At Clark College his love of words
was first put to use with the college newspaper,
The Penguin’s Progress, as a
writer and feature editor.
In
1966 Tony opened his own public relations office in Vancouver, where
he was hired to raise money for the St. Joseph’s Community Hospital,
which later became Southwest Washington Medical Center. During this
time he met, recruited for fundraising, and later married his “heart
of hearts,” Nancy Boisvert, in 1968. They indeed became the “miracle
workers.” Both Tony and Nancy raised six children: Darby, Tony III,
Polly and son-in-law Kendall, Angela, John, Dennison and
daughter-in-law Regina. From these six, Tony and Nancy herded the
next generation of “Bacons” with twenty grandchildren. It was a
Christmas tradition to ask him to name each of the
grandchildren—Devona, CJ, Nicole, Nick, Johnnie, Kate, Grant,
Claire, Kurt, Robin, Annie, Paige, Ethan, Lisa, Adam, Sam,
Josephine, Alex, Madison, and Jack. We named them here one last time
for him.
The list goes on and on as far as Tony’s accomplishments.
1968
PR Director of the House Democratic Caucus.
1969-1980, opened a PR office in Portland for Jay Rockey Public
Relations, which later merged with Bill Marsh Public Relations to
become the largest PR firm in Portland at that time.
1980-1982, PR Director and Vice President of Gerber Advertising.
1982-1989, established Bacon Public Relations, and in 1983, gained
Tom Hunt as partner in Bacon & Hunt Public Relations. Tony later
sold his partnership and retired.
1989-present, publisher and editor of the
Daily Insider.
More lists:
President of the Public Relations Society, Portland Chapter.
Member of National Accreditation Committee of the Public Relations
Society of America.
Developed internship programs for students attending WSU, U of O,
and Linfield College.
Community involvement includes:
Advisory Board of St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Founding Member of Vancouver Press Club.
Northwest Harvest South Board.
Council for the Homeless.
Swift Board.
YMCA
pool and building fund drive.
Founding member of Identity Clark County.
Rotary Hall of Fame Business Honoree.
Clark College Outstanding Alumni
Clark County Skill Center Board.
WSU-Vancouver Advisory Council.
Co-host of Clark County Focus, CVTV.
Co-Chair, Lewis & Clark Bicentennial PR Committee.
Member, Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce.
Member, Columbia River Economic Development Council.
Tony’s list of friends is as long as the third bridge he always
hoped to see built across the Columbia. Many of these friends became
our friends also. The outpouring of love and support from each and
every one of you has overwhelmed us.
Tony
was one of the most incredible people anyone could meet or know. The
Bacon family thanks all of you.
Services for Tony will be held:
Tuesday, September 8, 2009, 11:00a.m.
St.
Joseph’s Catholic Church
400
S Andresen Road
Vancouver, WA 98664
In
lieu of flowers the family requests donations made to:
St.
Joseph’s Building Fund
Clark College Foundation
SWMC
Foundation
The
Daily Insider has been and
will continue to be a Bacon Family business. The family has
continued to publish the Insider since May of 2009 and will continue
to bring to you the Daily Insider,
an electronic newsletter covering business, politics and people in
Southwest Washington.
Ken Andrews
getting the tie straight. <>Grant Jobe
makes it until round three.
<>Jo and
SandeeLow sending their best. <>Barbara
Kerr with the finishing
touches. <>
Thursday,
mostly cloudy, 56. Friday,partly cloudy, 59-73. Saturday,
rain, 57-63.Cick here for additional local weather information.
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weather facts click on Pat Timm's Weather blog below
