JOHN W. FOSTER SR.

Longtime Wasilla resident J. William "Bill" Foster Sr., 77, died Sept. 23, 2005, following a short illness.

A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church of Wasilla at 2 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 29, with the Rev. Henry Woodall officiating.

Mr. Foster was born June 16, 1928, in Three Bridges, N.J. He graduated from Flemington High School in New Jersey in 1945. He married Lorraine White in 1947, who preceded him in death in May 2002, after a marriage of 54 years. Mr. Foster and his family moved from New Jersey to Wasilla in 1968.

He retired from Matanuska Electric Association in 1983, managing the Eagle River office for many years. He had previously worked for Combs Insurance and Koslosky's in Palmer. He had been an agent for Prudential Insurance in New Jersey, as well as teaching welding and metal work at the Annandale, N.J., boys reformatory.

He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Wasilla for many years. Mr. Foster and his wife were also active members of the Antique Automushers of Alaska. They restored his 1924 Ford Model T, which they drove in many local parades; it was his first car, and the one he used to court his wife in 1947. Mr. Foster was also an active member of the Palmer Lions Club.

Mr. Foster found time for many hobbies and was very creative in all he did, including model railroading, painting, carpentry, auto restoration and building the home they lived in for almost 30 years.

He is survived by his six children and their families, including 16 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren: son, John Jr., and family of Juneau; daughter, Linda of Phoenix; son, Roy of Wasilla; son, Kevin, his wife, Susan, and family of Willow; daughter, Lorraine, her husband, Pat Hacker, and family of Beaverton, Ore., and son, Craig, his wife, Cathy, and family, based at San Diego (USN).

Memorial contributions may be made to his memorial fund to First Presbyterian Church, 1375 E. Bogard Road, Wasilla, AK 99654.

Arrangements are with Valley Funeral Home & Crematory in Wasilla.