April 6, 1923 ~ April 23, 2023
Early Sunday morning on April 23, 2023, Iris Irene Foster Gillen, our kind and loving mom, left this world at the amazing age of 100. She had just celebrated her 100th birthday with her entire family and dear friends.
Iris was born to Albert Edward Foster and Lilian Elsie Kemp Foster in lush green Sittingbourne, England. She had a loving family with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins nearby. From a young age, she was full of spunk. The boys would tease her about her red hair, calling her ‘Ginger’, and she would chase them, often getting into a bit of trouble. Iris learned how to play the piano, knit intricate patterns, type with few mistakes, and play a mean game of tennis. But mostly she loved being with her sister, Hazel, cousins, and friends.
Iris, like so many other Brits, stepped up to the call when WWII broke out. She joined the WAAF (Women’s Auxiliary Air Force) typing up requisition forms for supplies while stationed in London, Britain’s heaviest bombed city. She met many life-long friends during this time, including Elmo Gillen, a mechanic in the USAF, who was from dry, deserty Central Utah. He had noticed her red hair across the dance floor at Coventry Gardens and asked her to dance. He was immediately smitten by Iris. Iris wasn’t quite as sure about Elmo at first, but he was very persistent. They fell in love and at the end of the war Elmo left for home. They corresponded by mail for three years until Elmo was able to get a Visa for Iris to come to America. She had the decision to make of whether to stay in the comfort of what she knew or venture out to dry and dusty Central Utah to start a family with a man she loved. She chose adventure. She crossed the Atlantic on the Queen Mary and landed in Ellis Island. She then traveled across America by plane and then by train to a place she’d never seen to marry Elmo, the only person she knew for thousands of miles. She had no doubts that she should marry Elmo and was excited to start her family with the man she loved.
They were married in Oasis, Utah on March 19, 1949 and were married for 49 years, until Elmo passed away. Theirs was a marriage filled with love and laughter. They shared a love of flowers, trees, stars, music, knowledge, and beautiful West Millard sunsets.
Iris found much joy and growth having a family, even though it definitely wasn’t easy. Iris’ life in Oasis was filled with challenges and hardship but she never, never complained. Iris and Elmo had eight children. Sadly, the first baby was stillborn and a little son, Ricky, drowned when he was almost two. Iris found the strength to continue taking care of her family after these heartbreaks. Their family originally lived with Elmo’s family. With four small children, they soon moved into a small trailer, complete with an outhouse. They finally moved into the family home on the farm. Farm life was never easy. Iris would heat water to do the weekly laundry and to take baths and hang out clotheslines full of wet laundry and diapers. Despite the hardships, Iris found joy all around her. She loved her children and found joy in teaching them songs she sang as a girl in England, taught them how to cook and make amazing jams, to tend a garden, to love music and to serve others. She made her home a place of love and learning. She was an excellent cook and baker. She would make four loaves of bread every week and surprise us often with homemade doughnuts or cookies. She taught by example, always selfless and there for others. Iris loved oil painting and created many beautiful paintings. She worked in the Oasis Post Office when needed and was a Head Start and Kindergarten aide in Hinckley, Utah.
After Elmo died, Iris left the farm in 2001 and moved to Stansbury Park to be near her daughters. She loved taking her dog, Mac, for walks and met many nice people there. She had health issues in her later years and had difficulty seeing and hearing. She lost her ability to drive, which she loved to do. But again, despite all these challenges, she never complained and was just as feisty as when she was a girl. In her later years, she could remember songs, poems, sayings from her early life. or she would ask us to look up something on our tablets that she had been wondering about. She would frequently ask ‘Alexa’ to play songs from the war or her early married life. She was still interested in so many things - her mind was always active. She was such an inspiration to us all and will be sorely missed. Her memories will be cherished and treasured by us all. Iris was lovingly cared for by her daughters and sons-in-law during her last years and able to stay in her home until the end.
Iris is survived by her daughters: Jacqueline (Dan), Stansbury Park, Stephanie (Vic), Chapel Hill, NC, Jill (Donn), Stansbury Park, Michelle (Earl), Grand Blanc, MI. She also is survived by her grandchildren: Valerie, Brett, Cory, Briana, Bryce, Amanda, Derek, Jeremy, Keaton, Brittany, Troy, and Caitlin, twelve great grandchildren, nephews, and nieces. She is preceded in death by her husband, Elmo, sons: Baby boy, Kerry, Ricky, and Gregory.
