The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR) — Covington Mayor Fred Fenton Forbes III, a former construction foreman who rose to lead his hometown through a period of transition and loss, died Saturday, March 14, 2026, at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. He was 63.
City officials and residents across the Alleghany Highlands are mourning the death of a leader they describe as plainspoken, hardworking and deeply rooted in the community he served.
Forbes, a lifelong resident of Alleghany County, was born May 8, 1962, in Clifton Forge. Before entering public office, he spent many years as a crew foreman with Lanford Brothers, a regional company specializing in bridge repair and general construction. Friends and colleagues often pointed to that handsome background as central to his governing style and his connection with working people.
“He was a man of the people who didn’t just sit in office. He was the guy you could see in the woods or at the track,” one community tribute noted, reflecting a sentiment widely shared on social media and in local news coverage.
Forbes was first elected to the Covington City Council in November 2022, representing District 2 as an independent. He took office on Jan. 1, 2023, and later served as vice mayor before assuming the city’s top post.
He became mayor in 2025, succeeding former Mayor William Lance Carson Jr., who died in July 2025. The back-to-back loss of two sitting mayors in less than a year has left Covington grappling not only with grief but also with another sudden leadership transition.
City officials said the City Council will now be working through the legal process to fill the vacancy left by Forbes. Under Section 24.2228 of the Code of Virginia, the council has issued a call for an interim appointment to the District Two council seat until a formal election can be held. The city is accepting letters of interest and resumes through 5 p.m. Friday, April 10, 2026. Applicants must be qualified voters and legal residents of District 2.
In the interim, Vice Mayor Raymond C. Hunter is serving as the primary presiding officer for council business. A called joint meeting with the Alleghany Highlands school board and the county Board of Supervisors is scheduled for March 30, 2026, to discuss the school budget, a discussion Forbes was expected to help lead.
Beyond City Hall, residents remember Forbes as an outdoorsman who never strayed far from the land and lifestyle that shaped him. He was an avid hunter who enjoyed spending time in the woods and was known for cutting his own firewood. In later years, he developed a passion for drag racing, finding excitement in fast cars and camaraderie at the track.
The city has flown flags at half-staff in his honor, and Loving Funeral Home in Covington is handling arrangements. His official obituary notes that a memorial service will be conducted at a later date. As of March 21, 2026, no date or time for the service had been finalized. Still, Loving Funeral Home is hosting an online memorial where family, friends, and residents are sharing photos, stories, and condolences.
Forbes is survived by his wife, Rebecca Moseley Forbes, three children, Fred IV, Heather, and Brittany. He also took immense pride in his four grandchildren. He was the son of Fred Fenton Forbes Jr. and the late Betty Stone Forbes. City leaders say his death leaves not only a procedural gap in government, but a personal one as well.
The city issued a formal proclamation on March 15, 2026, acknowledging Forbes’s service, his lifelong ties to Covington and the Alleghany Highlands, and the shock of his sudden passing. Officials and residents alike describe his loss as a blow to the “heart of District 2,” and to the broader community he devoted his final years to serving.
