James Riley Foster, 79, of West Lafayette passed away on Friday, Feb. 3, 2012. Jim was born on Oct. 7, 1932, in Greenfield, to Lester and Lila (Smith) Foster.
Jim graduated from Maxwell High School in Greenfield in 1950, and graduated from Purdue University in 1954, with a B.S. degree in Animal Husbandry. Jim served in the United States Army from 1954-56. He completed his Ph.D. in Animal Nutrition at Iowa State University in Ames, IA, in 1960. Jim joined the Animal Sciences Department at Purdue University where he was an Extension Swine Specialist from1960 to 1994. In 1961, Jim married Mary Lou Reeve.
Jim knew Jesus Christ as Savior and served Him as Lord. He was an active member of Covenant Church where he served as a deacon and volunteered with New Focus. Jim was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity. From 1965-67 Jim was in Brazil with a Purdue project at the University of Vicosa. He was inducted into the Livestock Breeder’s Hall of Fame at Purdue University in 1995. He was a member of the Lafayette Rotary Club. He was an avid runner and completed the Indianapolis 500 Festival Mini Marathon eight times. He enjoyed Purdue basketball and football games, golfing, traveling, yard work and volunteering.
Survivors include wife, Mary Lou Reeve; children, Debbie (John) Rodibaugh of Rensselaer, Ind,. Steve (Lisa) Foster of Fishers, Bob Foster of Milwaukee; and Sandy (Rusty) Nelson of Lafayette; brother, John Foster, of Ellensburg, Wash. and eight grandchildren.
A memorial service was held at Covenant Church in West Lafayette on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 11 a.m. Private graveside service will be held prior to this at Tippecanoe Memory Gardens.
Memorials may be made to Covenant Church.
Online condolences send to www.soller-baker.com.
