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14 Nov 05 - 11:11 AM (#1604656) Subject: Obit: Foster 'Pa' Willey, October, 2005 From: PeteBoom Born in 1919, Foster was a fixture for years in the community of St. Joseph, Michigan as an artist in paint, pen and ink, pencil and sculpture. His "Factory Job" was a graphic designer for Whirlpool Corporation, where he worked for 25 years. This position paid the expenses of raising the many children who blessed the home of Pa and "Ma" Willey, as well as provided the meager means to buy art supplies, and as the children grew, musical instruments and all that goes with them. Foster was called service in the US Army at the age of 21 before the US entry into WWII, assigned to the Corps of Engineers. After the US entry into the war, Pa was one of America's forgotten, stationed in Burma building the network that became known as the Burma Road. Without the glamour of Europe, North Africa or the island hopping campaign in the South Pacific, Pa did his job. After his promotion to Sergeant, he looked after his men (and his officers) and kept detailed information on all his "buddies" (including the men under him), their home addresses, birthdates, etc., and kept this list in his studio, in the basement of his home in St. Joes. He left the military after the war with solid convictions of what constituted reasons to go to war. As a result, he protested the Vietnam war, the numerous "little wars" after that (Grenada, Panama, etc.,) the first Gulf War, and the current invasion of Iraq. All of Pa's children play music or sing, brilliantly. Many are also visual artists creating magnificent pieces in nearly any medium possible. They learned this, in part, through the creativity of Pa, who, ably assisted by a loving, amused and forbearing wife, created magnificent Halloween costumes that inspire his children to make costumes for the grand-children, and now great-grand-children. At the memorial service this past Saturday, as close to a "months mind" as modern life allows, some 300 friends joined the family to remember and celebrate the life of a man who touched them all. The local artist guild president present the family with a lovely portrait of Foster, where many knew him best - with his paintings. Others presented songs, tunes and memories of him. Following the 'official' service, friends and family gathered at the house for a meal and more memories. Then, as Pa would like, we retired to his "local" where we filled the section reserved, and overflowed into the next area. An accoustic session with over 30 musicians joining in lead to the "electric" session where the younger generation took over - with the music Foster loved, the folk-rock of his sons' band(s), the rock of his friends and the "punk-thrash" of his grand-son's band, ironically or maybe fittingly, the first of the family of traditional and folk musicians to have toured the US, Canada and Europe. (Evan's band, Still Remains, was on tour, but they had a fellow playing bass so he could help send Pa on his way.) Pa played with the traditional bands Banshee, Paddy's Rackett and sat in with Kennedy's Kitchen his last few years when he was able. As his son Rick said, "We kids all know who the favorite was, but he played in *MY* band!" I met Pa and Ma and sons Rick and Andy at the Wheatland Music Festival in 1983, and counted him, and them, as friends ever since. Over the years I met many of the other kids and their children here and there, finally meeting the rest this last weekend. Western Michigan's music and art community is lessened by his loss. |