TORRINGTON –Raoul Forrest Vannier aka Forrest Vanier, 79, of Torrington passed away Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the Cheyenne VA Medical Center, and cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held in the spring at First Congregational Church in Torrington, Reverend Matt Gordon presiding.
Forrest was born in Chicago on April 15, 1946, to Raoul Wilfred and Reta Shirle (Gates) Vannier. He grew up in Chicago and Manitou Springs, Colorado, and on a five-acre farm in Lawrence, Michigan. He graduated from Lawrence High School in 1964 and enlisted in the US Army. He was a Vietnam veteran, serving from 1966-69 as a Combat Photographer and Lab Tech, in the 1st Infantry Division, 121st Signal Battalion. He was then assigned to the Military District of Washington, DC, serving at the White House and Pentagon. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal.
Forrest married Kathleen Maloney on March 21, 1983, in Georgetown, Colorado, and they worked nearby at the Easter Seal Handicamp.
In 1986, he joined the USDA Forest Service on a trail maintenance crew in the Mount Evans Wilderness Area. There he met Leo Carter, a fellow ‘Nam vet with whom he shared a tent, stories, heartaches, and adventures. They became lifelong friends and brothers.
Forrest graduated from Western Michigan University in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in art education and later earned his master’s. His specialties were photography, ceramics and watercolor. He finally found his calling as the Art Teacher at Torrington Middle School from 1995-2011. He loved sixth grade camp and hopes that you or your mother still have your rabbit skin.
After retirement, Forrest continued teaching art in community education and the painting aisle at Hobby Lobby. He was also a 4H and Cub Scout leader and sang bass with the Sugar Valley Singers.
Forrest is survived by his wife of 42 years, Kathy; his son, Seth and Tia Vannier of Clinton, Montana; his daughter Aimee and Wayne Downing of Lowell, Michigan; grandchildren Erin, Blake and Zoee and Emily; great-grandson Jaxon; sister-in-law Donna and Joe Zielinski; best friend Leonard and Martha Carter, two cousins, and a nephew. He was preceded in passing by his parents and sister.
Forrest’s family would like to recognize his stellar caregivers in Cheyenne and Wyobraska, especially Tracy, Leslie, Robert, Lauren, Shelbee, Kasie, Shelly, and Tania. Wiederspahn Radomsky Chapel assisted the family. Further information will follow on their website https://www.wrcfuneral.com .
He spent his childhood in the north woods, young adulthood in the jungle and midlife in the classroom. He saw God in butterflies and galaxies. He loved tipis and campfires, trillium and crocuses, Jersey cows and Tamworth hogs, Frankie Laine and Teresa Brewer, the Unsinkable Molly Brown and Handel’s Messiah, new potatoes and creamed peas, Warthogs and MGBs, the Black Hawks and the Cubs, pen-and-ink and watercolor, a good macro lens and muzzleloading pistol, throwing pottery and throwing tomahawks. He never could work a cell phone and even walking became a challenge. But he could build or fix darn near everything. I’ll miss your humor and quick wit, my Renaissance man, my Woodswalker, I love you.
