Col. James E. Foster

Because you come to me with naught save love,

And hold my hand and lift mine eyes above,

A wider world of hope and joy I see,

Because you come to me!

Because you speak to me in accent sweet,

I find the roses waking ‘round my feet,

And I am led through tears and joy to thee,

Because you speak to me!

Because God made thee mine, I’ll cherish thee

Through light and darkness, through all time to be,

And pray His love may make our love divine,

Because God made thee mine!

The earthly journey of life began November 6, 1926 for James Edenfield Foster on a farm near Winchester, Adams County, Ohio, and concluded December 25, 2017 in Austin, Texas. He has now joined his beloved wife, Alice Louise, for eternity. Colonel Foster was a 33-year veteran of the United States Army, a man of dedication to family, to duty, and to country.

Colonel Foster was the son of Paul Garland and Josie Evelyn (Edenfield) Foster. He was a descendent of Ohio pioneers: Robert and Margaret (McCord) Foster, who brought their family to Adams County, Virginia Military District, Northwest Territories (later Ohio), in the fall of 1797 and homesteaded on Cherry Creek and Samuel and Elizabeth Jane (Hart) Edenfield who brought their family from Delaware and settled in 1817 in southern Highland County, Ohio.

He attended and graduated from the Winchester (Ohio) elementary and high schools. He attended and graduated from Purdue University, University of Nebraska, and George Washington University with advanced degrees in engineering and computer science.

He volunteered to his country’s call for service and began his long and distinguished military career for over 33 years of active duty with the United States Army during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the cold war. During World War II he served as a rifleman and non-commissioned officer in an infantry division and as a commissioned Engineer Officer in the Pacific theater. He was commissioned as an Engineer Officer, regular U.S. Army, on 1 January 1948 and served in such capacity until his retirement on 30 June 1977. He always displayed outstanding leadership and initiative in accomplishing assigned missions. This high performance and demonstrated devotion to duty and love of country was recognized by accelerated promotion. Colonel Foster was a graduate of the Engineer Officer’s Advanced Class, Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas (where he graduated 5th in a class of 657); Armed Forces Joint Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia; and the U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.

Colonel Foster was a highly decorated officer having served in various command and staff roles throughout his distinguished career. He especially enjoyed and sought leadership assignments with troops. He was particularly proud of the several unique engineer construction projects he had accomplished which included airfields, ports, petroleum tank farms, cantonment areas, utility systems and a hydroponic garden. He was specially selected to be a part of the faculty at The Engineer School, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and The Armor School, Fort Knox, Kentucky. He accomplished nuclear technical research and development activities at Sandia Base, New Mexico. He had been the Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Computer Systems Command, for three years when he retired and moved to Austin, Texas. Colonel Foster was a life-member of American Legion Post 242, Winchester, Ohio.

In 1948 at Fort Lewis, Washington, he met and married the love of his life, Alice “Louise” Roberts. The inspirational lyrics of “Because” from the beginning were the favorite and mainstay of “Louise” and “Jim” and were the abiding thought and belief of each. Their marriage of 54 years was truly blessed with divine love. This beautiful marriage was blessed also with three daughters and one son: Anita Louise (Foster) Carroll of Goode, Virginia; Anna Kathleen (Foster) Stern, Austin, Texas, who deceased in 2013; Patricia Allene Foster, Asheville, North Carolina, who deceased in 2009; and James Christopher Foster, Nixa, Missouri. His children’s spouses, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren will also miss him greatly: Robert Carroll; James Stern; Karen (Tompkins) Foster; David and Sheri (McAdams) Nelson and daughter, Brooke; Shelley McAdams; Ashley Beard and son, Caleb; Oliver and Sandra (Stern) Barron; Steven and Marett (Hanes) Stern and son, Sorin; Marcos and Jamie (Foster) Rodriguez and daughter, Alannah; and Kevin Foster.

Jim Foster had an incredibly strong compassion for and commitment to Louise and members of his family. He captured the love and respect of all who knew him. He had a bountiful and prosperous life – at the same time he was incredibly generous – always giving his time, his love, and his support when needed. His influence was effervescent and he will remain in the heart and minds of all who were touched by his warmth, love and compassion.

Colonel Foster was a life-long Republican beginning as a young volunteer in the Landon-Knox campaign of 1936. With his wife, Louise, he continued to be active in Texas Republican campaigns after they arrived in 1977 in the Austin area. Together, they were continuing advocates of the Republican philosophy and ideals. They were honored twice by the Travis County (Texas) Republican Party as the Top Republican Volunteers of the Year in 1993 and 2000. He was a delegate to several precinct elections. For his many and varied contributions to the state of Texas, Colonel Foster was honored by being appointed an “Admiral in the Texas Navy” by Texas Governor William P. Clements on 3 December 1990. Louise was specially honored also as a “Yellow Rose of Texas”.

After his military service he embarked on another successful career in public purchasing and education. He instituted statewide contracts for the procurement of computer related and highly technical equipment used by Texas state agencies and universities. The National Institute of Governmental Purchasing specially honored him with a national award in 1982, for his expertise and tax-saving methodologies, which benefited the state of Texas and others. He instituted and conducted an education program for purchasers within the Texas Dept. of Transportation, which resulted in a significant number becoming professionally qualified nationally. He also taught similar courses at the University of Texas, Austin. His integrity was continuously illustrated throughout his outstanding military and civilian careers.

Jim was a member of the Rotary Club of Austin-Oak Hill, which honored him as “Rotarian of the Year: 2003-2004”, “Service Above Self Award: 2006-2007”, and “Rotary District 5870 Roll of Fame: 2008”. His whole life had been the very essence of Rotary both before and after he became a member of the Oak Hill Rotary Club. He was not one to wave the flag and call attention to the results of his endeavors, whether in his professional life, his family circle, or where he so often lent his hand and heart to serve a friend, or improve literacy, or to lift a drooping head.

Jim Foster was a happy, contented person who enjoyed his home and family. He enjoyed gardening and landscaping and was an avid speed reader. He especially enjoyed History. He had a natural artistic ability and enjoyed oil painting, especially of landscapes. As a family genealogist, he researched and documented several branches of his ancestry.

Jim Foster was a devoted son, brother, husband, uncle, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend who embodied integrity, rational thinking, faithfulness to God, appreciation of nature, stewardship of his resources, courage during adversity, strength of character, high moral values, perseverance, loyalty, fairness, and unconditional love.

He was a devoted family man who inspired both family and friends with his charisma and mischievous sense of humor. He had a tremendous zest for life and was incurably optimistic about everything. He knew how to celebrate and made life fun. He gave happiness, inspiration and courage to all he touched. His spontaneous smile and friendly personality will leave a lasting impression and will always be an inspiration to everyone he encountered.

Colonel Foster was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Alice Louise, in 2002; his daughter, Anna Kathleen (Foster) Stern; his daughter, Patricia Allene Foster; his parents; his younger brother, Walter Donald Foster; and younger sisters: Alice Florence (Foster) Frost and Nellie Lee (Foster) Elliott; and sons-in-law: Captain Thomas Arthur McAdams (K.I.A. Vietnam in 1969) and Alan James Beard.

While his presence will always be with each of us, through our memories of him and the good works he accomplished, his friends, associates and loved ones will, nevertheless, miss his energy, intelligence and graciousness. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.

He shall rest for eternity alongside his beloved “Louise” in the Forest Oaks Memorial Park, Oak Hill, Austin, Texas, with other cherished members of his family. Visitation will be held Friday, January 5, 2018 from 6:00 PM-8:00 PM at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home with a Memorial Service to be held there on Saturday, January 6, 2018 at 10:00 AM. Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.cookwaldenforestoaks.com

The family offers special thanks to the nurses and staff at Stonebridge Health Center who loved and treated him like family during his last months of life. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, The Salvation Army, Rotary International, a veterans organization, or any family literacy program.