Robert Duane Foster, 91, was born October 5, 1929, near Berwyn, NE to Doane & Lavina (Nelsen) Foster. He died on April 11, 2021 of pancreatic cancer. He was cremated & a family service will be held at the farm. Memorials may be given to the United Methodist Church at Broken Bow. Govier Brothers of Broken Bow is in charge of arrangements.
Bob graduated from Burwell high school in 1947 and the University of Nebraska in 1951 with a B. S. in Agronomy. He served with the military intelligence during the Korean War, spending time in Japan and Korea 1951-1953.
Bob was united in marriage to Sondra V. Johnson March 27, 1960, at Cambridge, NE.
During his career Bob worked for the USDA-Soil Conservation service at Wahoo, Lincoln, Stapleton, Broken Bow, Ord, Bridgeport & Grand Island NE. He worked at Bridgeport from 1963 to 1979 as District Conservationist. Bob was the Area Conservationist at Grand Island from 1979 until the time he retired in 1990. He was in charge of 26 field offices covering 29 counties while at Grand Island.
Bob retired November 30, 1990 after working for the USDA-Soil Conservation Service for 39 years. For about ten years after retiring, he helped his son on the family farm near Berwyn by cutting down cedar trees and digging musk thistles among other things. In 1998 Bob & Sondra moved to Broken Bow from Grand Island. Among his hobbies were collecting gas engines, reading (especially Louis L’Amour books which he read over & over & over) & doing Sudoku and Word Seek puzzles. The family had a large garden when living in Bridgeport, Grand Island & for about ten years in Broken Bow. When the kids were still home the family enjoyed camping. Bob enjoyed riding motorcycles as long as he was able. Later in life he enjoyed riding his bicycle. He also loved his coffee. Bob was very conservative & fiscally tight having grown up in the 1930’s!!!!
Bob did have some health issues the latter part of his life. He had a heart attack Christmas Day 2001 which required a four-way heart bypass. He had a defibrillator/pacemaker implanted in 2008. Hospice entered his life March 5, 2021.The defibrillator was disconnected March 23, 2021.
One highlight was when he was honored to go on the Korean War Hero Flight to Washington D. C. in 2015 with 24 other veterans, their escorts, seven hero flight staff and a tour guide in Washington D. C.
He was a member of the United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife; one son, Kirk Foster & wife, Denise, Berwyn, NE; one daughter, Kristi Schleif & husband Tom, Osceola, NE; six granddaughters and one grandson; Jamelyn, Kelsey (Justin) McCullough, Audrey & Lexie Foster; Kaitlyn (Evan) Buss, Laurin & Christian Schleif, and two great granddaughters, Ellianna Buss & Erin McCullough.. He is also survived by in laws, Norma Smith, Paul Johnson, Patty Johnson, Sharon Bellamy, Judy Zabel, Phillip (Barb) Johnson, Bruce Johnson, as well as a host of nieces, nephews and their families.
Preceding him in death were his parents and sister, Dorothy Gordon; his in-laws, Claude & Ada Johnson, brothers-in-law Paul Zabel, Gailord Bellamy, Robert Miller, Carl Johnson & Robert Smith; sisters-in-law, Donna Miller & Jackie Johnson.
