James Foster

BELL CITY, Mo. -- James William "Jim" Foster, 78, died Sunday, May 27, 2007, in Tulsa, Okla.

He was born May 10, 1929, at Bell City, Mo., son of Jesse William and Jessie Wheeler Foster.

His positive outlook on life was infectious, spreading through family, friends, and even those who hardly knew him.

After four years in the Air Force flying B-29s and KC-97s, Jim completed mechanical engineering at the University of Illinois and Washington University.

He started work for Standard Oil of Ohio. After a decade of oil refining he joined the Williams Companies, from which he retired in 1986 as manager of manufacturing at Agrico Chemical Co.

While retired, Jim did international consulting, traveling to the Ukraine, Albania, Russia, India, Venezuela and Mexico.

Longtime members of Christ United Methodist Church, Jim is survived by his wife, Nedra Vaughn Foster; two sons, Lowell (Reida) Foster of Olathe, Kan., John (Diane) Foster of Mission, Kan.; two brothers, Kenneth Foster of Bell City, Carl F. Foster of Omaha, Neb.; four grandchildren, Kyle, Joshua, Ryan and Ashlee.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at Pleasant Hill Cemetery at Tillman, Mo.

A memorial service was also held June 2 at Christ United Methodist Church.

Moore's Southlawn Chapel in Tulsa was in charge of arrangements.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Share a memory with the family by signing the online guest book at www.moorefuneral.com.