Chief Warrant Officer 2 Gabriel Paul LaForest, 35, died October 16, 2019, in Augusta, GA.

Gabe was a native of LaGrange, GA and graduated from Fort Campbell High School, where he ran cross country.

He served in the U.S. Army for 17 years and was currently assigned to the 32nd Military Police Detachment, Fort Gordon, GA.

He is preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Fred and Oleta Jabaley, and brother, Sergeant Stefan Smith.

He leaves behind a wife, Captain Jessica Suber LaForest of Evans, GA; children, Ava LaForest of Gladewater, TX, and Stella and Phoebe Hall of Evans, GA; parents, Chief Warrant Officer 4 (Retired) Patrick Smith and Gisele Smith of Texarkana, TX; brothers, Warrant Officer Candidate Patrick LaForest of Pineville, LA, and Joey Paul Kleinow (Gabrielle) of Morrow, OH; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, family, and friends.

A Military Memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, October 22, 2019 at Barnes Avenue Friendship Chapel, Fort Gordon, GA.

Graveside funeral services, with full military honors, will be held 1:30 P.M. Wednesday, October 23, 2019 in Shadowlawn Cemetery with Chaplain Sink officiating.  The gathering of family and friends will be on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, LaGrange, GA and immediately following the service at the cemetery.

Honorary pallbearers will be Zach Chockley, Patrick LaForest, Keith Brown, Isaac Haldeman, Matthew Harris, and Alex Warren.

Those wishing to share a condolence or remembrance with the family may do so by visiting www.shlagrange.com.

Arrangements are by Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, 1010 Mooty Bridge Road, LaGrange, GA 30240 (706) 884-8636