George Wendall Foster

George Foster, 93, passed away Tuesday, May 31, 2016 in Temple, TX. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 7, 2016 at Zion United Church, Womack. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Interment at Waco Memorial Park Mausoleum.

He was born to George and Cora Foster on September 9, 1922, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, where he grew up on the Green Valley Dairy Farm in Osage County. George graduated from College High School and attended Oklahoma A & M, now Oklahoma State University, before marrying his high school sweetheart, Norma Dean McDowell on September 6, 1940. They became the proud parents of twin boys, George Thomas (Tom) and William Samuel (Sam) the following year.

George began his long and storied career with Phillips Petroleum that year, being excused for service to his country by joining the Navy, stationed at San Diego for three years. After the service the family returned to Bartlesville where George again joined Phillips Petroleum as a draftsman. Continuing through the ranks George became construction engineer on various projects for Phillips taking the family to numerous locations in Oklahoma and Texas, causing the boy to attend 5 schools in one school year. They were flexible.

After their children graduated college, George began his overseas ventures with Phillips first to Spain, back to Houston, off to Brazil, back to Wyoming, off to Italy, Holland, New Orleans, London, and Scotland before returning to Utah where he retired after 42 years with Phillips. Their travels took them to places they otherwise would never have seen.

After retirement in 1985, George and Dean moved to Lake Whitney, Texas, where they enjoyed the good life of boating and fishing with her sister and brother-in-law, Ila and Dewayne Fox, eventually building houses next door to each other in Clifton, Texas. Entertaining friends and family with their bountiful catch from the waters of Lake Whitney and travel were their greatest joy, even taking a retirement job of trading automobiles (travel) for the GM and Ford dealerships in Clifton. While living in Clifton, George was an integral part of the Lions Club, receiving the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award twice, and serving many years as Secretary and Treasurer during his tenure. He was a member of the Zion United Church at Womack.

George was preceded in death by his parents, two half sisters and one half brother, and son, George Thomas, in 1979. He is survived by Dean, his devoted wife of 75 years, son William Samuel (Sam) and wife Bettye of Willis, Texas, daughter-in-law Dixie Foster Frank and her husband Irving of Tulsa, Oklahoma, 4 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren and 3 great great grandchildren.