Trygve Forland: Noted orthopedic surgeon, art lover dies

November 07, 2007
Santa Paula News

Trygve Ingolf Forland was a born orthopedic surgeon whose talents benefited generations of patients, including numerous Santa Paulans who especially enjoyed the dry wit that made a visit to the doctor memorable.

By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesTrygve Ingolf Forland was a born orthopedic surgeon whose talents benefited generations of patients, including numerous Santa Paulans who especially enjoyed the dry wit that made a visit to the doctor memorable. Trygve, a native of Haugesund, Norway, passed October 26, 2007 at his Santa Paula home of acute aortic stenosis at the age of 82.Born March 29, 1925, Trygve immigrated with his family to New York in 1929, landing the day of the stock market crash that prompted the Great Depression.Even as a little boy, he had a burning passion to become an orthopedic surgeon... and with his quick mind Trygve was accepted into medical school at only 18 years old and graduated at 21. After working for Seattle’s Group Health Cooperative for 24 years, Trygve moved to Santa Paula and opened a private practice. His skills are credited with the full recovery of patients who feared they would never walk again.Trygve was “extremely proud that no one ever contracted an infection during surgery, and he was a great problem solver and diagnostician in the operating room,” said his daughter Becky Forland. “And, whatever patient he was working with was the most important in the world to him... he was a great doctor.”Cathy Barringer, a friend and patient of Trygve’s, agreed. “Trygve was our good friend and a talented doctor and orthopedic surgeon,” with a “dry, quick wit.”“He was a son of Norway, but a true American,” noted Carl Barringer.An art lover, Trygve became a tireless collector and philanthropist, sponsoring the Artists & Architects Mural, and a staunch supporter of the Santa Paula Society of the Arts.
“When he retired he could indulge his passions, and he loved living in Santa Paula because it is a very artistic community,” said Becky. “He was a wonderful artist himself... he had great hands” that were adept at art and surgery, including “carving the turkey at Thanksgiving; it was a work of art.”Although not a religious person, Trygve had a special fondness for icons and numerous depictions of the Last Supper. “Dad said Jesus was his boyhood hero; he loved what he stood for and he aspired for that, the essence of what Jesus is.”A voracious reader, he thoroughly enjoyed telling stories, making funny faces with his granddaughters, and dancing. “I remember when the Twist came out, he loved that. He also loved to be gallant, kiss a woman’s hand, stand up and bow to her... things he did like that were very sweet,” Becky said.Trygve “grew up in New York City and then moved to Seattle, but he always loved the Dodgers,” now based in Los Angeles, a passion that helped him make the move to Santa Paula in 1974. And he found another passion: “He loved Santa Paula, just loved it,” said Becky. “He was buried facing South Mountain... he loved that mountain.”An Internet memorial for Trygve has been posted at www.mem.com, and Becky said that friends are invited to post memories of photos directly to the site, or bring them to the November 17 memorial for the family to post.Trygve is survived by his brother, Erling; daughters, Sue (husband Bob) Minahan, Becky Forland and Nancy Barci; son Thomas Forland; granddaughters, Angela Storey, Sarah Storey, and Kristin Jones; cousins, Dave Ostrem and Per; and nephews and nieces, Kathy, Rafe, Lee, David, Daniel, Chris, Steven and Jill.Trygve was buried at Pierce Brothers Santa Paula Cemetery on October 30. The memorial will be held on Saturday, November 17 at 2:30 p.m. at Skillin Carroll Mortuary; a reception will follow at the Glen Tavern Inn.Donations in his memory can be made to the Santa Paula Society of the Arts, PO Box 788; Santa Paula Mural Project, PO Box 569; or Santa Clara Valley Hospice/Home Support Group, PO Box 365; all in Santa Paula, CA 93061, or to any charity of your choice.



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