Oct. 20, 1935 ~ Oct. 10, 2023
William Richard Foster Sr (Bill) passed away on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at the age of 87 years in Mesquite, Nevada, from natural causes due to age.
Bill was born on October 20, 1935, to William Henry Foster and Helen Hawkes Foster in Pocatello Idaho. He was the oldest of five children, four boys and one girl.
He attended Whittier Elementary School, Franklin Jr High School and graduated from Pocatello High School in 1953. Bill was active in athletics and played trumpet in his high school band. He participated in the Boy Scouts and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He also had the opportunity to attend the National Boy Scout Jamboree, held at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania in 1950.
After High school, he enrolled in Idaho State College and joined the Army ROTC program. Bill met and married Jean Wise in 1954. They were later divorced. In 1958, he was commissioned into the Army and served in the Air Defense Artillery for over 21 years. He earned a Purple Heart for being wounded in Vietnam.
Bill met and married Brenda Prettyman in 1973. They were later divorced as well. After his military career, he returned to school and received his certification as a secondary school guidance counselor. He worked at Delta High school in Delta, Utah and at Virgin Valley High School in Mesquite, Nevada.
While living in Delta, he met and married his third wife, JoEllen Steele, in 1984.
William was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, J. Brent Foster, and one grandchild.
He is survived by his brothers, Gerald R Foster (Ursula "Sue") and Paul H Foster (Cathy), and his sister, Amy Foster Hatten (John). He also leaves behind his wife, JoEllen Steele Foster of 39 years, and his children, W. Richard Foster, Jr (Jo), James J. Foster, John R. Foster (Sheila), Jacqueline L. Foster, Holly J. Foster Mahoney (Keith), Roxanna Campbell (Zane), Mark Foster, Gina Bell (Steve), Alica Fangupo (Taniela), Gerald Foster (Ashlee), Christopher G Foster (Almir), Glen P Foster, and Teresa Stewart (Jeffery), along with many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and even great-great-grandchildren.
There will be a memorial service honoring him on Friday, November 17, 2023, at 11 a.m. PST at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 100 N Arrowhead Lane in Mesquite, Nevada with military honors to follow at 12:30 p.m. There will be a private family gathering preceding the service at 10:30 a.m.
