Dr. Richard A. “Dick” Foster
Colonel U.S. Army Dental Corps (Retired)
October 14, 1936 – August 10, 2017
Richard A. “Dick” Foster died August 10, 2017 after a long battle with prostate cancer.
He was born October 14, 1936 in Neenah, Wisconsin. He married Gloria J. Humphrey, who survives him, on August 31, 1958, a wonderful friendship and marriage of 59 years. He was the father of three children: Robin A. Huffman of Paradise, California, Ronald A. Foster (deceased), Russell A. Foster of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is the grandfather of Miles Huffman, also of Paradise, California. In addition to his immediate family, he is also survived by his brother, Thomas A. Foster and his wife Judy of Wichita, Kansas and their son, Jason; Robin’s husband Maurice of Paradise, California; plus a number of cousins, nieces and nephews.
Dick attended high school in Waupaca, Wisconsin and Buffalo, Missouri where he enjoyed being a member of the basketball and track teams as well as playing a trombone in the school band and orchestra. He did his undergraduate study at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri where he continued as first trombonist in the university and ROTC bands and orchestras. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Dentistry – Kansas City, Missouri in 1962. Upon graduation from dental school, he joined the Army Dental Corps serving a rotating dental internship and a specialty residency in prosthodontics at Letterman Army Medical Center in San Francisco. He became board certified in the specialty of prosthodontics in 1969. Dick served as an officer in the Army Dental Corps until his retirement in 1991. Dick is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas (1973-74) and the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania (1982-83). He retired in the grade of Colonel receiving many awards during his career. His military tours included 13 duty assignments including teaching specialty residents at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado, commanding the Dental Activities at Fort Carson, Colorado and Fort Hood, Texas, serving a staff assignment in Washington, D.C. and as Chief of Staff for Dental Services U.S. Army Europe. He was a lifetime member of the American Dental Association, the American College of Prosthodontists and the International College of Dentists.
Activities that enriched his life after retirement from the Army Dental Corps included serving in a volunteer capacity for his church, Habitat for Humanity and Rotary International. These three activities in service to others kept him occupied full-time after retirement. He served on many boards and committees of the Broadmoor Community Church in Colorado Springs including serving as the Moderator (lay leader) from 1995-98. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Rocky Mountain Conference of the United Church of Christ. He volunteered for Habitat for Humanity for many years overseeing several construction projects as Construction Manager. Dr. Foster was very active in Rotary International serving as president of the Broadmoor Rotary Club in 2000-01, Lieutenant Governor for International Service, District Rotary Foundation Chairman, Matching Grants Chairman and as Rotary International District Governor for district 5470 (Southern 2/3 of Colorado) in 2006-7. His favorite outdoor activity was downhill skiing with his family and Rotary friends, the basic reason he retired in Colorado.
Memorial services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, August 25, 2017 at the Broadmoor Community Church, 315 Lake Avenue, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80906. Memorial contributions may be made to the Broadmoor Community Church or to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, 610 Abbot Lane, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80905.