Jennie Margaret Meador Forehand

Former Maryland State Senator Jennie Margaret Meador Forehand passed away on October 3, 2023, at age 87, after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Jennie was born in Nashville, TN and grew up in Charlotte, NC where she met her husband Bill in 7th grade. She graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill, married in 1958 and moved to Maryland in 1961.  After Jennie’s retirement from public service in 2014, she and Bill moved to Indianapolis, IN. 

Jennie was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother, played the piano ‘by ear’, and was an endless source of energy and inspiration to her friends and colleagues.

 During her 36 years as a legislator in Annapolis, MD she represented Montgomery County Maryland’s 17th District (Rockville, Gaithersburg, and Garrett Park).  Jennie was a force of nature and tirelessly focused her work on the Rights of Women, Safety from Human Trafficking, Health issues (physical fitness, nutrition, smoke free environments); Rights of Senior Citizens; and Promotion of the Arts and Art communities.

Her strong advocacy was a major force in bringing about the Baltimore Oriole’s stadium smoking restriction; Maryland’s ‘no smoking in public places’ law; the construction of Shady Grove Adventist Hospital; the Rockville Library; the Rockville Senior Center; the Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents (RICA); the District Court House; and the Inter-County Connector Highway (ICC).

Jennie is survived by her husband Bill; daughter Virginia (Tom) Horn of Indianapolis, IN; son John (Heidi) Forehand of Chicago, IL, and 4 grandsons, Bill (Cali), Brian, Eric and Noah.

There will be a private burial at a later date. Services entrusted to O’Riley Branson Funeral Service and Crematory, 6107 S. East Street, Indianapolis, Indiana  46227.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to: Peerless Rockville Historic Preservation at: https://peerlessrockville.org/support/in-memory-of-jennie-forehand/

Please visit www.OrileyBranson.com to share a favorite memory or to sign the online guest registry.