Born in 1924 in Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Forrest received a B.Sc. (1st Class Honors) from the University of Glasgow in 1944. He went on to receive a PhD from the University of London in 1947 and then a second PhD from the University of Cambridge in 1951. He was awarded a 2-year U.S. Public Health Service Post-Doctoral Fellowship to study at the California Institute of Technology (CalTech).

He came to the U.S. on the SS America in 1951. He met Rosamond Baker Forrest and they married in 1954. In 1956, The University of Texas hired Dr. Forrest as a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Department of Zoology where he became Associate Professor and then Professor. In 1993, he was made Professor Emeritus. During his nearly five decades at UT, Dr. Forrest played a pioneering role in the infusion of organic chemical ideas into the biological sciences.

Among other insights, he recognized the importance of studying naturally occurring compounds called pterdines and his work showed their significance in medicine and in cancer research. Dr. Forrest served as Chairman of the Department of Zoology at the University of Texas from 1974 to 1978. He was also Editor-in-Chief of the international journal "Biochemical Genetics". He was awarded a DSc degree from the University of London in 1970 and was elected as a Fellow to the scholarly Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1979. He inspired and served as mentor for many distinguished graduate students who went on to professorships and positions at prestigious research organizations. His students also include a MacArthur Fellow and two recent Nobel Laureates in Medicine.

Dr. Forrest also taught thousands of undergraduates, many of whom took his "Physiology for Poets" Class. A highlight of this class was his custom of wearing his Scottish kilt for the last lecture.

Aside from science, his many passions included ballet, classical music on KMFA, rugby, The Beatles, 60 Minutes, Seinfeld, Masterpiece Theatre, UT football, the New Yorker, roast beef, boiled potatoes, haggis, Mother's Cafe on Duval, gin and tonics, Drambuie, chocolate, wood-carving, jewelry-making, painting sunflowers on backyard fences, bagpipes, and the distinctive P4 Rover that he shipped to the US from the UK (and later adorned with 60s-style hippie flowers). None of these interests, however, matched his affection for his home country of Scotland.

Hugh relished attending the annual Robert Burns Supper (in honor of the Scottish Poet) every January in Austin. He also loved connecting with recent Scottish transplants to the Central Texas area. Hugh was supportive of the continuing education of all people, regardless of their status or background. He was preceded in death by his parents, Archibald and Margaret Watson Peden Forrest; his wife, Rosamond Baker; and his four elder brothers Sam, Jack, Archie and Bob. He is survived by his children Eleanor Forrest and her husband David Ahern, Anne Forrest PhD and her husband Michael Crider, and Hugh Watson Forrest PhD (Honorary) and his wife Vivian Forrest.

He is also survived by his 6 grandchildren: Duncan Ahern, Brendan Ahern, Rosamond Ahern, Luke Van Buskirk, Hugh Wei Forrest, and Daniel Crider. His legacy for future students includes a Stained Glass "Double Helix" hanging that includes a hidden message for them to solve. The family would like to extend special gratitude to the caring professionals at Austin Heart Hospital, St. David's Medical Center, Rapid Recovery of Round Rock, Apicon Home Health, Grace Hospice, in-home caretakers and many others.