James R. Foster Sr.

James R. Foster, Sr., 74, of Pomona, passed away Tuesday, February 13, 2018. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M., Saturday, February 17, 2018, at Dengel & Son Mortuary. Family will meet with friends from 6:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M., Friday, February 16, 2018, at the mortuary. Interment Woodlawn Cemetery, Pomona, Kansas, with military honors by the United States Navy. James was born November 8, 1943 in Ottawa, Kansas, the son of Howard Eugene and Helen Ruby (Watts) Foster. He was a lifelong Ottawa/Pomona resident. He attended Ottawa High School with the class of 1961. James enlisted in the United States Navy serving from 1961 to 1964 as an aircraft mechanic obtaining the rank of E-3. James was united in marriage to Marolyn Brittingham August 28, 1965 in Ottawa, Kansas. She preceded him in death on July 27, 2012 after 47 years together. He was also preceded in death by his parents, Howard and Helen Foster; stepmother, Thelma Foster; two siblings, Charles “Todd” Foster and Gail Sawyer; three step-siblings, Dallas Nicholson, Harvey Nicholson and Eletheir Presnal; and daughter-in-law, Jan Foster. Survivors include his three sons, James Foster, Jr. and wife Jody of Republic, Missouri, Patrick Foster of Topeka, and Gerald Foster and wife Michelle of Ottawa; three siblings, Dorothy Andrig, Opal Shepherd and Squire Foster; step-siblings, Gary Nicholson and Lenore Newell; seven grandchildren, Brandy Watts, Whitney Packwood, Shelby Foster, Tanner Foster, Tara Foster, Morgan Foster and Kylie Foster; and great granddaughter, Addison Packwood. When James was younger, he was a foreman for a concrete crew for installation of foundations and basements. He worked and supervised road and bridge concrete construction in the mid-1980s in Franklin County and in the early 1990s in Johnson County, retiring in 2004. For many years he helped on the Jack Nelson Farm. In the early 1990s, James purchased land near the Greenwood Community in Franklin County where he raised livestock and farmed. He was a member of the Veteran of Foreign Wars Memorial Post 5901 and former member of the Pomona McKinley Lodge No. 41, A.F. & A.M. The family suggests memorial contributions to VFW Post 5901 c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067. Family and friends are encouraged to post their condolences and memories on James’ Tribute Wall at www.dengelmortuary.com