Francis Ben Foster

On June 1st of 1945, Ben enlisted in the Navy. He was stationed at Great Lakes Naval Station for training purposes. He went to Crawfordsville, Indiana and from there he was in the Ammunition Depot. He was transferred to Tower Hall in Chicago, Illinois for Shore Patrol Duty. The war ended and he went to Navy Pier in Chicago where he performed office duties for the dischargement of Navy Veterans. He himself was discharged in August of 1946. After returning home, he took classes and received his GED.

Ben went to Western State Teachers College in Macomb for two semesters, and went on to

Crawfordsville, where he became a Teleprinter Operator. In August of 1946, he received his diploma after attaining the required Degree of Proficiency as a Teleprinter Operator. He then went on to receive a Diploma for attaining the required Degree of Proficiency as a manager. After that, ben went to Gem City Business College in Quincy, Illinois for an additional year taking courses in business.

In October of 1951, he decided to go to Minneapolis, Minnesota seeing work. He was accepted into the Apprentice Program learning to be an aircraft mechanic at Northwest Airlines at Holman field in St. Paul, Minnesota. In 1954 Northwest suspended their apprentice program and Ben was given a lay-off notice.

In 1952 he met Donna Paul at Lake Nokomis in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They were married on June 20, 1953 at the Presbyterian Church in Buffalo, North Dakota, and on Donna’s parent’s 24th anniversary. They became life-long partners.

In 1955, Ben accepted a position with Erickson Holiday Stores as a manager and they moved to Cambridge, Minnesota. On April 26, 1955 their first son Jeff was born followed by Kim and Craig. Donna became a stay at home mom for several years and they lived in Cambridge for 13 years.

In 1962, they had a home built and moved to Blaine, Minnesota. Ben became Relief Manager at various stores in Minnesota and North Dakota. In 1966 Ben heard of a position that was available in Springfield, Illinois at Bisch Airways. Ben was hired as an aircraft mechanic, a field he was anxious to get back into. Ben worked there until 1974 when the company was dissolved. He then became employed with Capitol Aviation in Springfield – later to become Air Research. It was there that he received his Airman Certification in Mechanics Airframe and Power Plant. He retired from Air Research in 1991.

Ben was a life-long member of Modern Woodmen of America and a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Mr. Foster is survived by two sons: Kim Foster of Chatham and Craig Foster of Sherman, one grandchild Sharadan Foster, two great-grandchildren: Jaxon and Levi Gwinn, one sister and two brothers.

Cremation rites were accorded.