Obituary of Richard Ian Foster

Richard Ian Foster 1951 – 2009 Richard Ian Foster was born on March 31, 1951 in Calgary, Alberta to Ivan and Victoria Foster. Originally named "Robert Ian Foster”, he had his name legally changed to Richard after he acquired the nickname of Dick (or Dickie) as a child. At the age of 12 he contracted Tuberculosis and spent 18 months recovering in the Baker Memorial Sanitarium. Richard completed all of his schooling in Calgary where he spent a lot of time visiting with his Grandma Miller in Drumheller, Alberta. Many school breaks were spent with his Aunt Mabel Neufeld in Didsbury, Alberta where he enjoyed helping his Uncle Jake work around the gas station. Richard loved cars, from making models as a child to working on cars as a boy. He met and married Betty Diane Rumsey on June 30, 1973 and they settled down in Calgary for a year then Richard took a transfer with his employer to Dawson Creek. After that, he worked at a variety of automotive related jobs. In March of 1988 their son, Richard Jacob Foster (Jake) was born and Richard decided he should get a career or trade as an example for Jake. Starting at Brown’s Chevrolet he began an apprenticeship. He received his journeyman mechanics certification in 1992 and worked for many local businesses including Brown’s, Aspol’s, Capital, and Fountain Tire. After recovering from a heart attack in 1999 he changed careers to first aid and safety and began working for local companies. Richard was a bit of a pack rat and he would take young Jake ‘DUMPING’. This involved frequenting the local dumps collecting scrap metal to be recycled. If a friend was looking for something in particular, Richard made it his mission to find it. One time someone wanted some patio bricks, so Richard got on the job until the friend had to tell him to stop bringing bricks because he had more than enough. Betty was afraid to send him to the dump fearing he would return with more junk than he went with. They even collected enough refundable containers to pay for Jake’s first quad! Richard collected music, antique lighters, and souvenir ball caps but his prize collection was his cars parked behind the house in various conditions. A few years back, they cleaned up the yard and hauled 15 cars away. Within a week 9 more had taken their place. Richard disliked Dodges and he passed on to Jake when he was young by teaching him to say, "Pooey Dodge!” This aversion for Dodges continued until the end, when Richard was adamant that his last ride NOT be in a DODGE. This explains his ride to the burial plot in a FORD pick-up! Richard began working his dream job, a job with a pension plan, at Northern Lights College until being diagnosed with an inoperable stage 4 brain tumor in April of 2009. Receiving radiation and chemotherapy, he did not get sick and was relatively pain free until he passed away peacefully surrounded by his family at the Dawson Creek Hospital on October 24, 2009. A Funeral Service was held on October 30, 2009 at the Bergeron Funeral Chapel in Dawson Creek, BC. Peggy Bergeron Officiated and Betty brought some of Richard’s ball caps to give to anyone in attendance who wished to have one. Interment followed and Richard was laid to rest in the Brookside Cemetery, Dawson Creek, BC. Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Bergeron Funeral Services and Crematorium Ltd.