Walter John Foster passed away suddenly on August 28, 2018 at his home in Loleta.

He was born on March 21, 1948 in San Pedro to Walter Dwight Foster and Patricia Louise Bass. John grew up in San Pedro with his two younger brothers, Scott and James “Rocky” Foster. Growing up in southern California, John enjoyed surfing, fishing and spending time with his grandparents. He graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach in 1966. After high school he pursued a career in the tugboat industry delivering oil equipment to the oil islands of the Long Beach Harbor. Realizing that the tugboat industry was not his true passion, he completed the X-ray technician program at Long Beach Jr. College, graduating with a certificate of completion.

John met his wife, Colleen Foster, at a local dance in Long Beach in 1972. Soon after they were married they welcomed their first and only child in 1977. Realizing that the hustle and bustle of southern California was not for them, they relocated to Loleta, California in 1981, enjoying a must slower-paced lifestyle with a micro-farm with livestock and gardens.

John was an avid outdoorsman taking advantage of many of Humboldt County’s outdoor adventures. He spent time surfing, windsurfing, fishing, ab-diving, shooting skeet, trap and sporting clays, kayaking and sailing his Hobie Cat at Big Lagoon. He was also an avid tennis, golf, bocce ball, billiards and pickle ball player. His true love was music — any and all kinds of music. He was in multiple bands, recorded his own music, built his own guitars, played the guitar at restaurants and wedding venues and was always wanting to learn a new instrument.

John was employed as an X-ray technician, automotive mechanic, custodian and bus driver and finally retired as a barber, owning his own barber shop in Myrtletown.

John is preceded in death by his father, Walter Dwight Foster, mother, Patricia Louise Bass, and younger brother, Scott Foster.

John is survived by his wife of 45 years, Colleen Foster, daughter, Michelle Sanders (Oliver), brother, James Foster (Jean) and grandchildren, Logan Miller and Ella Rose Colleen Sanders.

A special thank you to the Loleta Volunteer Fire Department, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department’s Officer Henderson, and Sheriff Coroner Enright for their professionalism, patience and compassion.

###

The obituary above was submitted on behalf of John Foster’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.