Willett (Bill) Foster died peacefully at the age of 103 on November
24, 2023.
He was born on
November 11, 1920, to Willett Sherman Foster and Lucille Pierson
Foster in East Orange, N.J.
The family moved to
Burlington, Vt., around the time of his father’s posting at Fort
Ethan Allen.
Bill attended Adams
School and then Staunton Military Academy for grades 7-12. He
received his bachelor’s degree in business from Colgate University
in 1942, along with his commission as second lieutenant in the U.S.
Army, and in May of that year married Mary Brewster Manning, also of
Burlington.
Bill served his
country during WWII as part of the Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC).
After the war, Bill and Mary returned to Burlington, where he began
his career in business at the E.B. and A.C. Whiting Company. Later,
he joined the Edlund Company and became the owner and president in
1962.
Bill traveled the
world, building the company into an international business. He was
active in the leadership of many business and trade associations and
served as a director of the Vermont Federal Savings and Loan,
Champlain College and the National Association of Manufacturers.
Bill also was
involved in local human service organizations, as a director at the
Elizabeth Lund Home and the Greater Burlington YMCA, among others. He
was a founding member of the Burlington Tennis Club, as well as the
revitalized Lake Champlain Yacht Club.
Bill and Mary raised
three boys, Will, Steve, and Jim, all of whom joined him in business,
prior to his retirement in 1976.
Bill and Mary
enjoyed many years of winter residence in Naples, Fla., where they
made many dear friends on and off the tennis courts.
Bill’s family
attributes his long and healthy life not only to good fortune and
self-discipline that learned at an early age in military school, but
also to being a lifelong swimmer and tennis player well into his
nineties.
Bill is survived by
his sons, Steve (Meg), and Jim (Liz); his daughter-in-law, Frances
Foster; his grandchildren, Wendy Farrington (Chris), Marsi Foster
(Matt Bourgault), Cate Boerema (Thomas), Libby Foster (Bill Gamber),
Jeb Foster (Elizabeth Train), Caroline McKibben (Sean), and Witt
Foster (Melissa).
Bill was predeceased
by his beloved wife of 66 years, Mary; his son, Will; his sister,
June VanEtten; and his grandson, Evan. He is also survived by his 11
great grandchildren; Pierce, Christina, Alex, Zealy, Perry, Nica,
Anton, Fritz, Will, Teddy and Addie.
At Bill’s request,
there will be no service. The family will gather in celebration of
his life at a date to be determined.
This article appears in Nov 22-28, 2023.