Times-West Virginian
January 1, 1976
Was Fairmont Native
Funeral services were held Friday in Arlington Cemetery for Josephine Ogden Forrestal, widow of James V. Forrestal, the first secretary of defense. Mrs. Forrestal died last Saturday in a Newport, R. I. hospital. She was 76 years old and resided in Newport at her estate, "Wits-End."
She was the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Howard Newton Ogden, of Fairmont, and Chicago, Ill. Mrs. Forrestal attended the University of Chicago and was a fashion editor for Vogue before her marriage.
In World War II she was an unpaid adviser to the Waves and designed the uniform for the Navy women, which was esecuted by Mainbocher. She designed jewelry with Harry Winston for Cartier.
After Mr. Forrestal's death in 1949 she lived in France, Jam[a]ica and Ireland, County Wexford. In 1954 she christened the aircraft carrier Forrestal.
Mrs. Forrestal had backed theater productions in New York, including "Double Dublin" and "Leonard Bernstein's Theater Songs."
Surviving are two sons, Peter and Michael, both of New York City, and several nieces and nephews, including Mrs. Daniel K. Swihart, of Fairmont, and Mrs. William S. McKinley, of Washington D. C.
Her sisters, Mrs. Oscar L. Stanard, Mrs. Ermin F. Plumb, and her brother, Dana Presley Ogden, preceded her in death.
Services were held at St. Columbia's Chapel, Newport, R. I. and at Arlington Cemetery, where she will be buried next to her husband.