Forest Amsden; Ex-Executive With King-TV, Veteran Journalist

Forest W. Amsden, former KING-TV and radio executive and veteran journalist, died Friday at his home in Portland. He was 64.

After several years with King Broadcasting Co., Amsden became executive vice president of the Medical Research Foundation in Oregon in 1982. The foundation is a nonprofit organization that finances research projects in Oregon.

From 1970 to 1979, he was vice president and general manager of Portland stations KGW-TV, KGW-AM radio and KINK-FM radio. He was vice president and general manager of KING-TV in Seattle the next two years.

A memorial gathering for family and friends is scheduled at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Portland Yacht Club.

Amsden is survived by his wife, Claire; daughter Elizabeth Amsden of Seattle; sons Christopher Amsden and William Amsden, both of Portland; and grandson Forest Anthony Amsden, also of Portland.

Amsden was born in Sidney, Mont. Before entering college, he served in the Army Air Force during World War II and received an honorable discharge in 1946. He graduated from the University of Colorado's School of Journalism in Boulder.

He worked as sports editor at the Lamar, Colo., Daily News; was an assistant city editor of the Star in Lincoln, Neb.; a reporter for the Denver Post; editor for the Sentinel in Lakewood, Colo.; and executive editor and associate publisher for the World in Coos Bay, Ore.

Amsden received a Congressional Fellowship from the American Political Science Association, served on the Oregon State Government Ethics Commission and the Oregon Judicial Reform Commission; and was executive secretary of the Constitutional Revision Committee for the state of Oregon. Amsden also served as executive director of the Committee on Race and Education for the Portland School District.

He served as a director of Western Communications Co., publisher of the Bend, Ore., Bulletin and other Northwest newspapers. He was twice elected to the board of directors of the Oregon Association of Broadcasters and served two terms as a director of the National Association of Broadcasters.

Amsden was a trustee of the Portland Yacht Club, a member of the Portland Rotary, the Portland City Club and the Multnomah Athletic Club.

The family suggests memorials be made to the Medical Research Foundation Scholar Program: 319 S.W. Washington St., Suite 1200, Portland, Ore. 97204.