Howard D. Foster

Howard Donald Foster, age 78, of Lamar, passed away Thursday, January 1, 2009, at National Healthcare of Joplin.        Howard was born July 1, 1930, at Cape Fair, Missouri, the first of six children born to Howard Russell and Kathleen (King) Foster. Howard joined the U.S. Marine Corps at a young age and served on the east coast. While hospitalized after a serious accident which left him disabled, Howard met the love of his life, Betty Louise Thompson and they married on May 1, 1954, in Washington D.C.  Howard returned to civilian life to begin a career as a minister of the gospel which spanned more than 40 years.  In addition to preaching at various gospel meeting over the years, he served churches of Christ in Cumberland, Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, Bona, Missouri, Lamar, Missouri, Centerpoint, Missouri, and Stockton, Missouri.  Howard and Betty had made their home in Lamar since retiring in 1986.         Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Betty, of the home; a son and daughter-in-law, Russell & Teresa Foster, Lamar; a daughter and son-in-law, Karen & Jim Gilmartin, rural Lamar; two brothers and their wives, Bruce & Nina Foster, Ulysses, Kansas and Richard & Debbie Foster, Springfield, Missouri; three sisters and their husbands, Roberta & Tommy Hardin, Cape Fair, Missouri, Rowena & Jim Hancock, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Diane & Carl Olson, Jefferson City, Missouri; six grandchildren, Jared and Sara Foster, April, Austin, Dylan and Krista Gilmartin; and a large extended family.        Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, January 5th, at Lamar Church of Christ with Shawn Deree officiating.  Burial will be in Lake Cemetery.        The family will receive friends from 2:00 until 3:00 p.m. Sunday at Daniel Funeral Home.        Memorial contributions are suggested to Fair Haven Christian Children’s Home or the Alzheimer’s Association, in care of Daniel Funeral Home.        This obituary may be viewed and condolences sent @ www.danielfuneralhome.net