A part of the class of 1962, Ray Forquer was a four-year member of both the football and basketball teams, and he also participated in track, the Letterman’s Club, Future Teachers of America, the junior play, and May Day. He was elected a homeroom officer, and fittingly, his senior quote read: “Ray would like to be a teacher and a coach.”

Forquer fulfilled that vision, attending Clarion University to study history before earning a Master’s Degree in Art Education from the University of Pittsburgh. He went on to teach art and history for 31 years at Chartiers-Houston High School, where he inspired generations of students to explore their creativity and pursue their passions. His daughter Susanne reflected, “He loved helping people develop their own artistic abilities and creativity.”

As an artist, Forquer’s works were widely celebrated and exhibited across the East Coast, including the Westmoreland Museum of Art, the Chautauqua Art Association Gallery in New York, and the Stifel Gallery at Oglebay Institute. His paintings, many depicting historic scenes and landmarks of Washington County, remain in the collections of courthouses, museums, and even here at Trinity, where three of his works hang in the school board room.

Beyond the classroom and studio, Forquer co-founded Countryside Prints, Inc. in 1979, an award-winning publisher of limited edition prints. He also served on the Board of the Washington County Historical Society, contributed illustrations to local institutions, and was an active member of numerous art organizations throughout the region.