Lance Forsdick Sr. was born August 28, 1939, in Memphis. He attended Immaculate Conception grade school, Christian Brothers High School, and Christian Brothers College (now University). Lance was well known and well-loved in the Catholic Diocese of Memphis. He served on countless community boards, including St. Francis Hospital, St. Agnes Academy and St. Dominic School, Christian Brothers High School, and Christian Brothers University. His business acumen was also seen across the city and southeast region in his development and management of motels, hotels, and shopping centers.
Lance graduated from Christian Brothers College in 1961 and, as an alumnus, he went on to serve his alma mater in many important and valuable ways. Lance served on the CBU Board of Trustees in the 1970-80s and held the position of chairman from 1975 to 1984. He returned to the Board in the early 2000s and served until 2014.
Lance served as interim president of Christian Brothers University from July 1, 2005 until Brother Vincent Malham, FSC, assumed the presidency full time on December 1, 2005. He served as the Strategic Advisor to the President from December 2005 to May 2008, when due to the death of Brother Vincent, he again assumed the role of interim president until July 1, 2009 when Dr. John Smarrelli assumed the presidency.
Over the years, CBU recognized Lance with numerous awards and honors recognizing his decades of service and as one of the University’s most generous benefactors — including the Distinguished Alumnus Award (1983), the Maurelian Medal (1986), the Edward Barry Service Award (2000), and the Honorary Doctorate of Letters (2004). The East Parkway entrance to the CBU campus was named H. Lance Forsdick Sr. Drive in 2009 in honor of his service and in thanks for his tenures as interim president.
In recognition of those and other countless contributions to both Christian Brothers University and Christian Brothers High School, Lance was recognized as an Affiliated Member of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (AFSC) in 1993. He received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Cross, an honor awarded by the Pope to members of the clergy and laity for service to the Catholic Church, in 1999.
Visitation will be at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Tuesday, June 22 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm with a rosary at 6:30 pm. Funeral Mass will be held at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Wednesday, June 23, at 10:00 am, with private burial to follow.
Please keep Lance, his family, and his loved ones in your thoughts and prayers. He is being remembered here as one who lived well our Lasallian principles of faith, service, and community.
The family requests that memorial donations in memory of Lance Forsdick be made to CBU, Christian Brothers High School, St. Agnes Academy and St. Dominic School, and/or Camp Marymount.
