Earnest A. Foster Jr., 82, Bel Aire, died Sunday, March 20, 2016, at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.
Earnest was born March 27, 1933, in Iola, the son of Earnest A. Foster Sr. and Marie (Brown) Creason. He graduated from Iola High School in 1952. On Sept. 19, 1953, he married his high school sweetheart, Leora I. Larkey, and went off to serve his country during the Korean War in the U.S. Army. He returned to Iola where he worked for Pet Milk until it closed. They moved to Wichita and he worked for Steffen’s Dairy and then in the aircraft industry. He later began working for Mobil Oil in Augusta. When the refinery closed, they moved to Beaumont, Texas, where he retired from Mobil in 1993. They made their home in Bel Aire following retirement.
His greatest passions were his family and KU basketball.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Leora Foster; three children, Gary Foster, Diane (Chris) Ruggles and Jim (Kelly) Foster; two grandchildren, Brent (Carolyn) Ruggles and Jamie (Rob) Klem, and stepgrandchildren, Christian and Joshua; four great-grandchildren, who were the loves of his life, Sophie Klem, Grayson Ruggles, Zoe Ruggles and Baylor Klem; and one sister, Mary Morgan, Kansas City, Mo.
Private services have been held. Memorials are suggested to your local animal shelter.
