In Memoriam

Gene Foster

Milstead lost one of it's own on Christmas Eve. Gene Foster went to be with the LORD. He was a lifetime resident of Milstead. He was the son of Doug and Tyne Foster.
 
I am in one of the moods that I get into sometimes when my child hood days flash back to me. I think this one is because of the death of my first cousin Gene. When at the Funeral Home at Gene's death I saw Milstead friends that I had not seen in years. My best friend and best man at my wedding Larry Crumbley (Sauce) was there. Larry and I had a lot of great times. I talked with Charles Smith (Milkweed). He and I were in Nam at the same time. Tommy Knight (Pine Float) was there also. Tommy went to Vietnam and was in Artillery. He like me is half deaf.

We talked of Milstead and how great it was to grow up there. Tommy like myself married a Milstead girl, Faye Crumbley. Yes, she is Sauce Crumbley's sister. lol  Billy Crumbley was there. Every time I see Billy I think of the fast 56 Chevy he and his brother Frank had.

As I talked to these old friends I kept thinking to myself all of these old friends are gray and truly old friends. We are all getting old. My brother Ronnie (Cup) was there but his hair was not gray but that is because he shaves his head. The two hairs which he shaves off are gray. lol I get so much enjoyment thinking of my childhood in Milstead.

My cousin Gene and I were as close as brothers. As teenagers we were always together. We used to go to drag races together and NASCAR races. When we were growing up if you saw one of us you also saw the other. Gene was really a good baseball player. At the age of fourteen and playing Pony League Baseball Gene hit a baseball out of the ballpark at Milstead. This was really something for someone at his age to do.

Even though we old Milstead friends don't see each other like we did when growing up when something happens to one of us now we are there. This is a closeness that most people today know nothing about or can even imagine.

Beth, we talked about the Milstead website and how you have made it possible for us to go back home.

I want to end by saying that Gene Foster was one of the finest men I have ever known and I loved him like a brother. Gene was a Christian man and loved the LORD. I know where he is today.

Thank you Beth

Galen

submitted by Galen Foster, January 2, 2006

Gene and Galen Foster as Cowboys - circa 1952

Ronnie, Galen and Gene Foster - 1950s