Foster, Robert "Bob" (1926-2011)

FOSTER, ANDERSON, CLEMENS, LOSS

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 3/5/2011 at 22:54:58

Robert "Bob" Foster,
October 12, 1926 - January 25, 2011
Pella, Iowa

Bob Foster, 84, of Pella, formerly of Storm Lake, passed away Tuesday, January 25th, 2011, at the Long Term Care facility at the Pella Regional Health Center in Pella, Iowa.

Bob was born on October 12, 1926, in Marshalltown, Iowa, to James and Bernice (Anderson) Foster. He lived in Marshalltown until his freshman year in high school when he moved to Union, Iowa, to stay with his maternal grandparents. Upon graduating in 1944 from Union High School, he joined the U.S. Navy where he served four years as a radioman in Hawaii and Adak, Alaska.

After his honorable discharge from the military, he moved back to Union where he and Coleen Clemens were married on January 24th, 1948. To this union, three children were born: two sons, Terry and Scott, and a daughter, Rona.

Bob worked at the Marshalltown Times Republican newspaper office until 1951. He then joined the Iowa State Patrol, stationed first in Parkersburg, Iowa. In 1959, Bob transferred to Knoxville, Iowa, and then in 1965, to Storm Lake where he began his career as a patrol pilot (“Bear in the Air”). Bob worked in Storm Lake until 1983 when he retired after accumulating over 10,000 hours in the air as a pilot and providing the State of Iowa with thirty-one years of patrol service.

After retirement, he worked as a security guard at IBP in Storm Lake and as an insurance adjuster with Grinnell Mutual.

During his years of service, Bob became a Master in the Mason’s Organization and a loyal member of the Elks Lodge in Storm Lake. In Parkersburg, he had also served as the Charter President of the J.C. Organization.

Bob enjoyed playing golf and cards, boating, photography and spending time in the home he and Coleen owned on the shores of Storm Lake. He also had a strong passion for music and dance. He was known as a jokester who occasionally did fly overs with his airplane. He was also known for his yearly creative, crafty lawn ornament presentation during the holiday seasons.

He truly loved his family and will be missed by all who knew him. Bob was preceded in death by his grandparents, parents, and son, Terry. He is survived by his wife, Coleen; his son, Scott (Mary Jo) Foster, of Pella, Iowa, and his daughter, Rona (Donnie) Loss, of Algona, Iowa; his seven grandchildren; his three step-grandchildren; and his five great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer memorials be given to the Pella Wildlife Fund, 1203 Columbus Street, Pella, Iowa 50219.

Funeral Service: Saturday, January 29, 2011, at 12:30 p.m., at the Van Dyk - Duven Funeral Home.

Copyright © 2011, Van Dyk - Duven Funeral Home

Van Dyk - Duven Funeral Home
 

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