Search by Name

Search by Name

FUNERAL HOME

Cook-Walden Funeral Home

6100 North Lamar

Austin, Texas

Robert Foster Obituary

Robert Francis Foster, Jr. Robert Francis Foster, Jr., 86, died Tuesday in Austin following a brief illness. Born in Concord, Massachusetts on June 2, 1926, Bob was educated at the Fenn School in Concord and graduated from Middlesex School, also in Concord, in 1944. He enrolled in Harvard College in 1944, but his academic career was interrupted by a stint in the U.S. Navy, where he served as a radio technician during World War II. Following his naval service, Bob returned to Harvard, where he earned his A.B. in physics in 1949. During a brief and unsatisfying tenure as a junior engineer at Honeywell, Bob met Priscilla Frances Landry on a blind date sailing on the Charles River. The couple was married soon thereafter. For their honeymoon, Bob and Priscilla crossed the country to Austin where they had both been offered positions at St. Stephen's Episcopal School, which had opened its doors in the cedar-covered hills West of Austin just two years earlier. Bob taught math and later worked as the school's business manager before retiring after 44 years of service. A lifelong baseball fanatic - no other word describes the intensity with which he approached the national pastime - he also coached the St. Stephen's Spartan baseball team to a number of winning seasons. The baseball diamond - Foster Field - is named in his honor. Bob was a lifelong Red Sox fan, and he was deeply gratified to see his home team win the World Series. Twice. Although he loved the adventure and romance of his rough-and-tumble adopted home state, Bob remained a Yankee at heart. He never replaced anything without trying to fix it, often using ingenious and improbable ways. He loved cars, often very obscure ones such as the Hillman Imp, and he tinkered with all of them incessantly. He loved gizmos of all kinds, and was never as happy as when he would receive a new puzzle or gadget or when he learned about some new invention. Until the end of his life, Bob maintained a child's sense of curiosity and wonder. Bob also was a master bridge player, and scratched only two weeks before he was no longer able to maintain his playing schedule. In later years, Bob developed a hearty interest in genealogy, tracing his family roots back to the 14th century in Ireland. Bob and Priscilla also loved travel, and hauled a much-loved Airstream trailer throughout the United States with their four children each summer. He and his family also enjoyed time at their cabin in Ruidoso, New Mexico, where Bob could often be found watching the hummingbirds and the Red Sox. Bob was a quiet, funny and unassuming man who loved nothing more than his Priscilla, their friends, and their family. He will be missed by Cate and her husband Neil, Liz and her husband Dennis, Ann and her partner Allan, as well as John and his wife Lynn and their children Bryce and Adam. The family wishes to thank Westminster Manor staff for their care and support of Bob during the last 18 months, and to Dr. Judith Betts for her extraordinary and gentle care of Bob and Priscilla during the last years of their lives. The funeral will be private. A memorial gathering is planned for October the 19th, 2013 at St. Stephen's Episcopal School in connection with the Annual Alumni Reunion. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers contributions be made to The Priscilla and Robert Foster Financial Aid Endowment at St. Stephen's Episcopal School, Attn: Lou Bailey, 6500 St. Stephen's Dr., Austin TX 78746.



Published by Austin American-Statesman on May 26, 2013.
34465541-95D0-45B0-BEEB-B9E0361A315A

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Memories and Condolences
for Robert Foster

Not sure what to say?





Bob and Priscilla were great friends with my parents when they were alive. My Dad taught alongside them both. Bob will be sorely missed as he embodied the true spirit of St. Stephen's at all times. St. Stephen's owes a tremendous amount of gratitude to his efforts and his undying love for the school and what it stands for. Thanks Bob and Blessings to your family. Sincerely, Page Allen

Page Allen

June 5, 2013

Dear Ann and John:
I am sorry for your loss.
Your dad was always a man to be admired and respected.
I know how proud he was of you (I saw it frequently), and having offspring like you makes any life, no matter how long or short, complete.
He was a great man and you proved it!

Again my condolences.

John R. "Bobby" Donaldson.

May 31, 2013

As a student at St. Stephens from 1958-1962 I have fond memories of Bob and Priscilla Foster.

Pamela Plummer Martin

May 29, 2013

Thank you for sharing your lovely daughter Cate with us. It was so nice to meet you when she and Neil were married. Barbara and Matt Seger, Skidmore, TX

Barbara Seger

May 29, 2013

My thoughts are with you all...xoxo
Valery Caselli-Dubov

May 28, 2013

I will miss Bob. He was always a friendly, interesting person to talk to with a sense of humor. A real treasure for St. Stephens School.

Bayard Breeding

May 27, 2013

Bob Foster, as was Priscilla, were to St Stephen's as bbq is to Texas. Both he and Priscilla are irreplaceable treasures and are truly missed. My condolences to their family.
- Ceecy Gunn Robinson '83

May 27, 2013

Bob and Priscilla, and their children, were so much a part of my years at SSS. My warmest sympathy to all their family and friends.

Lucia McKay

May 27, 2013

It was good to have Bob and Priscilla around during some tough years for me. I am grateful and wish their children well.

Andy Fraser

May 27, 2013

Thoughts and prayers to all the Fosters. Dana Painter Parkey '77

dana parkey

May 26, 2013

May the angels lead thee into paradise: may the martyrs receive thee at thy coming, and lead thee into the holy city of Jerusalem. May the choir of angels receive thee, and mayest thou have eternal rest with Lazarus, who once was poor
Requiescat in pace !

Cousin Jerry and the whole Steis family's
Bethesda,MD.

May 24, 2013

With Deep Sympathies We send Our Sincerest Condolences to the family of Robert Francis Foster, Jr., from the O'Connell's of Taylors, SC., remembering Cousin Bobby and his late sister, Peggy Foster Henderson. Cousin, Genevieve Roberta Holzbauer O'Connell, and son, John G. O'Connell, III

John O'Connell

May 24, 2013

Showing 1 - 12 of 12 results

Make a Donation
in Robert Foster's name

Memorial Events
for Robert Foster

To offer your sympathy during this difficult time, you can now have memorial trees planted in a National Forest in memory of your loved one.

Funeral services provided by:

Cook-Walden Funeral Home

6100 North Lamar, Austin, TX 78752

How to support Robert's loved ones
Commemorate a cherished Veteran with a special tribute of Taps at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.

Read more
Attending a Funeral: What to Know

You have funeral questions, we have answers.

Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?

What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?

Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?

We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.

Read more
Resources to help you cope with loss
How to Write an Obituary

Need help writing an obituary? Here's a step-by-step guide...

Read more
Estate Settlement Guide

If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.

Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast

Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.

Read more
The Five Stages of Grief

They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.

Read more
Ways to honor Robert Foster's life and legacy
How to Write an Obituary

Need help writing an obituary? Here's a step-by-step guide...

Read more
Obituary Templates

These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.

Read more
Obituary Examples

You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.

Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?

Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.

Read more