John Frederic Benton Foreman

John was born in Hornchurch, England on 2nd January 1938. Shortly after, the family moved back to Newcastle, England, which was home to his family prior to his birth.

He attended the prestigious Royal Grammar School where he developed an eye for art and design, which he later put to good use in a career as an advertising executive. On leaving school, he had a brief but enjoyable period as an elephant trainer’s assistant at a local circus. Art school followed and he left with a design degree and had further developed his skill as an artist and illustrator. National Military Service was still compulsory in England in the 1950’s and John joined the Royal Air Force, serving for three years and becoming a Senior Aircraftsman and a Marksman

London in the swinging sixties followed and he joined an advertising agency in Bond Street, London. This was a career he would follow for fifty years, including founding and running his own advertising agency in London.

John had a great love of all things American and was a well-read authority on the American Civil War. Marriage to Judith, an American citizen, in the early 1990s, resulted in a move to North Carolina where he was instantly at ‘home’ in the United States. He was very proud to become an American Citizen and found the US history questions associated with this particularly easy to answer !

Joining the restaurant chain of Golden Corral as a Marketing Director, John has the opportunity to see many parts of the United States, which included trips to Hawaii and Las Vegas.

Retirement triggered a move to Alexandria, Virginia where he and Judith set up home. John was a great lover of the seafood the area was famous for and enjoyed living in a vibrant city. He rejoined art school there and continued with his skill as an artist. He had developed a liking for a number of American artists, particularly Frederic Remington and the iconic Western sculptures he produced.

John is survived by his loving wife Judith, sons Andrew and Richard and brother Martin. He was a larger than life character with a great sense of family and a curious mind. His extensive book collection was a testament to his quest for knowledge, especially military history. He will be greatly missed by his family and all who knew him.