Reser Funeral Home
Ryland Russell Foster, age 89, of Warsaw, Missouri, passed away Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at the St. Luke’s South Hospital in Overland Park, Kansas. He was born on June 30, 1933 in Kansas City, Missouri to parents Clyde Foster and Helen (Hughes) Taylor. Ryland was united in marriage to Martha Ann Laws on April 5, 1958 at Kensington Avenue Baptist Church in Kansas City and together they raised 5 children.
Ryland grew up in Kansas City and attended Northeast High School and Manual High School and was a member of the R.O.T.C. He was an avid solitaire player, bowler, and enjoyed making model airplanes. He’d watch airplanes land and take off at various airports and military bases and could look at the headlights of a distant plane as it was approaching a runway and be able to tell you exactly what kind of plane it was. He enjoyed watching the SR71's, U2 spy planes, B52's, KC135’s, and many other planes, but the SR71 Blackbird was his favorite. Growing up, he really loved his grandmother Gurney Foster, and his aunt and uncle, Louise & Forrest Davis all of Kansas City.
Ryland enjoyed an extensive military career. He joined the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1949 when he was only 16 years old. In July of 1950 at the age of 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard. He was stationed in Cape May, New Jersey, and then in St. Louis, Missouri where he worked along the Mississippi River. He was transferred to NMO Radio Station in Honolulu, Hawaii assigned to the Coast Guard Cutter, Iroquois, serving in the Pacific Wx Patrols and with Search & Rescue missions in Korea. He later was assigned to the Androscoggans buoy tender out of Miami, Florida. His next assignment was to Argentia, Newfoundland, sailing in the North Atlantic through the straights of Denmark in the North Sea. He left the U.S. Coast Guard in July, 1953. In Oct. 1953, Ryland joined the U.S. Air Force and was assigned to Offitt AF.B., Nebraska. He attended Electronic School at Keesler A.F.B., Mississippi. He then was sent to AC&W Radar Site and Naval Air Station in Kansas. His next assignment was to Grand Forks A.F.B., N. Dakota, then to Richards-Gebaur A.F.B. in Grandview, Missouri. Ryland was then sent to an isolated assignment in Unalaklete, Alaska to work at a radar site along the Bering Sea for a year. From there we went to Kalispell Radar Station in Montana. Then it was back to Keesler A.F.B., Mississippi for more schooling, then on to Fairchild A.F.B. in Spokane, Washington. An 18 month assignment to Kadena A.F.B. in Okinawa followed where he became an Air Traffic Controller. When he returned to the states he was sent to Wurtsmith A.F.B. in Oscoda, Michigan. At the height of the Vietnam War, he was sent to Ton Sonut A.B. in Saigon, Vietnam. His last duty assignment was at Beale A.F.B. near Marysville, California where he was the Chief Controller in the Control Tower. Ryland officially retired as a MSGT on Oct. 31,1976 after proudly serving 26 years, 9 months and 14 days of active service in our U. S. Military. Ryland was the recipient of the Bronze Star.
After his military service, he worked for Kentucky Fried Chicken. He started in the warehouse, but worked his way up to the Manager of 2 KFC stores, one in Marysville, CA. and the other in Linda, CA. He returned to school at Yuba College where he earned his Associates Degree in Food Service Management and became an instructor there and served the surrounding area as a Food Sanitation Inspector. For 58 years, Ryland was actively involved in the U.S. Civil Air Patrol serving in Washington, Michigan, California and in Missouri, and advanced to the rank of Lt. Colonel. He also served in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary in California and Missouri where he inspected buoys & waterways, and was a Boat Safety Inspectorfor approximately 30 years.
Ryland was a life member of the VFW, the American Legion, and a 50 year member of the Masons, the Scottish Rite, York Rite, and the Ararat Shrine. He also a volunteer with the Boy Scouts along side of his 2 sons. Ryland donated over twenty gallons of blood over the years and was a proud supporter of St. Jude’s Hospital and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews along with many other charities. Ryland was a member of River Church in Warsaw, Missouri. He accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord & Savior in 1987 and often said “Jesus is my best friend! “
He is survived by his wife Martha Foster (AKA “The War Department”) of the home. Five children; Ryland Russell (Kathy) Foster of Mount Vernon, Washington, Stephen Eugene (Lisa) Foster of Warsaw, Missouri, Laura Irene (Benjamin) Garrett of Warsaw, Julia Helene (Carey) Reid of Tampa, Florida,and Christopher Wallace (Tia) Foster of Plumas Lake, California. Twenty grandchildren; Jeana Queen, Melissa Foster, Regina (Nate) Buchaklian, John Wright, Kyle (Jessica) Foster, Jamie Foster, Jessica (Chad) Lyon, Shelby (Nicole) Cole, Meggan (David) Sandusky, Matthew (Tyffani) Garrett, Michael (Theresa) Garrett, Stephen Garrett, Timothy Morris, Brittani Pate, Tiffani (Chad) Moore, Carey (Andreina) Reid, Dimitri (Regina) Reid, Bradley Foster, Brycen Foster, and Aubrey Foster. Two sisters; Beverly Fogliani and Barbara Hays. Thirty-three great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, and his beloved feline buddy, Mickey.
Ryland was preceded in death by his parents; Clyde and Helen. Two brothers; Robert and Clifton, and granddaughter; SaraRae.
A Celebration of Life for Ryland Russell Foster will be held at 11:00 A.M. Friday, March 3, 2023, at River Church in Warsaw,Missouri. Visitation begins at 10am. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ryland Foster Memorial Fund at River Church, 28863 Commercial Ave., Warsaw, MO., 65355.
