Obituaries

Gale P. Foster December 9, 1919 to February 1, 2011. Survived by his children, Mary T.Foster of McLean, VA, Martha Cerny of Bern, Switzerland, Carolyn “Po” Locke of Hingham, Sarah Ladd of Pugwash, Nova Scotia, Walter “Wally” Foster of Kingston, Margaret “Maggie” Connolly of Dedham, Elizabeth “Yizzie” Foster Nolan of Weymouth and Berit Moe of Larvik, Norway; dear grandchildren, Noah DeFilippis, Natascha Cerny Ehtesham, Dimtiri Cerny, Andrew Locke, Jessica Locke White, Amanda and Rachel Ladd, Xavier and Kyle Foster, David, Amy and Megan Connolly, William Foster-Nolan, Thomas Lauvnes and Vegard, Katinka and Mathilde Kaupang and great grandchildren, Darby DeFilippis, Isaiah Gordon and Genevieve Ladd-Brown, Emmett and Axton McKay, and Parker and Eli White.

Gale Patrick Foster, known to many as G.P. lived a full life of 91 years. He was born in Brookline Massachusetts only son of Walter and Alice (Durfour) Foster. He attended Brookline schools and Boston University though his education continued well past the formal classroom years.

He met his wife Miriam in 1941 through her brother while she was visiting Massachusetts from Joliet, Illinois. For the next year they would correspond by letters as well as his visits. That led to a proposal and their wedding in Joliet, Illinois in 1942. After their marriage they spent time back in the Northeast with Gale’s parents prior to his joining the Army in 1942.

Gale was sent to Scott Field in IL for communication training. He had an interest in amatuer radio so this seemed to be a perfect fit. Miriam stayed with her family in Joliet and joined Gale at Scott when he became a Second Lieutenant.

Gale joined the Air Corp Bombers and later instructed radio operators to use machine guns and train on B-17 Bombers. Next Gale went to California to train with the Joint amphibious communications and US Navy Support Air Control. Next stop was to be Japan but he was diverted – lucky for the Foster children – to the Phillippines. He worked as a communications officer and was sending classified documents to MacArthur’s headquarters in Japan. He headed back to the States in 1946.

During the next several years Gale worked at some very interesting jobs, including one as a newspaper reporter for the Spectator in Joliet, Illinois. He and Miriam lived in Framinghman, MA Joliet, IL, and Rutland, VT before Gale was recalled to serve in the Korean war as a Captain. He was tasked with expanding the communication capabilities in northern Alaska with the US Air Force. Miriam and the now 4 girls (Mary, Martha, Po and Sarah) joined Gale. There Gale learned to fly because he had to review communications in Northern Alaska. He took an early release, but only after making sure his Squadron won the Alaskan basketball tournament. Next stop was Seattle and then a train to Joliet where the first boy, Walter, arrived.

Cleveland was next for a sales manager job and that led to an advertising job with Westinghouse. Another daughter, Margaret, joined the family. After several years in Cleveland, working in the marine and technology division of Westinghouse, Gale moved to Boston and started his own Advertising Agency, Reynolds and Foster. Another girl, Elizabeth, was born, and Gale and Miriam settled in Crow Point, Hingham where they would both live out their lives.

While living in Hingham Gale accomplished many things:

He loved the water and had many different sail and motor boats,
He was a Senior Lecturer in Marketing at Northeastern University for 32 years
Because of the advertising he did for Samson, a company that created a new type of fiber rope called “double braid”, Samson asked Gale to be their VP of Marketing and Sales.
He was active in the Crow Point Sailing Cub, often towing boats to various race weeks, starting races and, of course, helping out with the annual North Beach barbeque
He became very active in St.Paul Church, as a lecturer and on the parish council
Known for his strong opinions, he served on the Town of Hingham’s Governance Board and was a frequent Hingham Journal “letter to the editor” writer.
He always added a touch of humor on April Fool’s Day, be it dribble glasses or precariously perched pans of water on door sills.
He was the coordinator of many a cribbage match among friends and had some great New Year’s Eve parties with friends.

When Gale retired from Samson in 1986 he did not have your typical retirement; instead he started another phase of his life by being appointed Executive Director of the Cordage Institute, a trade association of rope producers. He was also a USA Technical Advisor for International Rope standards, produced Fiber Rope Technical Information Manuals, prepared technical papers on seamanship, rigging practices and rope technology that were used by those in the rope industry for training seminars and technical journals. He was recognized as a rope pioneer in 2004 at the 5th International Rope Technology Workshop. After serving as Executive Director for the Cordage Institute Gale became their Technical Director which is the position he held prior to his final retirement in 2004 at age 84.

He thrived living with 8 women and one man through the years. He took pride in everything that his children did and was always an encouraging voice.

He welcomed grandchildren with a huge smile and loved to play with them and give them gifts that made lots of noise but only gave the batteries to the parents when they were going home. As they got older he would always ask about what they were doing and offer sage advise though not intruding. He traveled with Miriam to see his family wherever they may be living. He loved his great grandchildren and they could always count on him for a cookie or two from the drawer in his cabinet (and they knew right where to go!).

Over the last several years we as a family were blessed to have additional women enter our lives as caregivers for Dad. When Dad sold his Condo he moved in with his daughter Po and her husband Steve Locke, down the street from his home in Crow Point. As part of the move Dad had Comfort Keeper companions staying with him and taking him out to appointments, visiting friends and seeing various sites throughout New England. Joan Richards, who had cared for our mother prior to her death continued to care for dad and she became part of the Foster Family. As we have said to her, she is a sister of the heart. Over the last 2 years we added more caregivers and we are thankful to them for the kindness and compassion they showed dad. Pam, Joan the second, Monica and Mary made the last several months much easier for dad and the family. Midge and Courtney may have not known dad for long but they too were kind to our father. Hospice of the South Shore were true angels on earth, Rhonda, Brenda and Nancy were a blessing and helped us as through Dad’s last days with us. He is now at peace with his dear Miriam.

Visiting hours will be held on Tuesday, February 8 from 3:00 to 8:00pm at the Dennis Sweeney Funeral Home 74 Elm St. Quincy Center. Family and friends are invited. On Wednesday, February 9 there will be a gathering at the funeral home at 9:00am.We will celebrate his life at the Funeral Mass at 10:00 at St. Paul Church in Hingham. Burial with Military Honors will be at St. Paul’s Cemetery.

Donations in Gale’s memory may be made to Dept. of MA VFW Room 546 State House 24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02133 or Glastonbury Abbey’s Listening to Other Voices Lecture Series 16 Hull St. Hingham, MA 02043 glastonburyabbey.org.