Wilbur Foss

Wilbur Foss

Wilbur Peder Foss of Scotland, SD died on Nov. 18, 2015 at the Landmann Youngman Memorial Hospital in Scotland at the age of 94. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, friend and mentor to generations.

Visitation will be Friday, Nov. 27 from 3-5PM at the Goglin Funeral Home in Scotland. A Celebration of Life service is planned for Saturday, Nov. 28 at 10:30 at Zion Lutheran church in Scotland. Pastor Jonathan Vehar will officiate. Online condolences may be sent at www.goglinfh.com.

Wilbur was born on June 15, 1921 to Jarle and Inga (nee Jorstad) Foss in rural Freeman. He attended rural schools and graduated from Menno High School. He attended Southern Normal College in Springfield. His teaching and coaching career began at Rose Cottage, Pleasant View, and North Star Schools and continued in Wagner, Lennox, Davis, Beresford.

With his wife Elizabeth he owned and operated the Coast to Coast hardware store for 17 years. Following another interest, he was a bank officer at the Valley State Bank in Yankton, SD for 23 years. They returned to live Scotland in 1997. He moved to the Good Samaritan Center in February 2015.

During his working years and beyond, he was involved in volunteering, education, church participation, basketball refereeing, baseball, politics, horse trading, car deals, old time and country music and mentoring young fiddlers.

Wilbur had the desire to learn to play the fiddle at age 55 and continued until he died. He and Elizabeth founded the South Dakota Fiddlers in 1976 and they entertained often in the 5 state area. They traveled to Arizona 14 winters and made countless friends there who shared a love for old time music.

Wilbur wrote for the Yankton County Observer on a regular basis, his last entry was published after his death. With a great memory for detail, he wrote about the communities he loved and the interesting people he met along the way.

Wilbur was preceded in death by his parents Jarle and Inga Foss and his brother Palmer Foss.

Wilbur is survived by his wife of 69 years, Elizabeth; a daughter Nancy (William) Penk of Hopkins, MN; a grandson Ryan (Anette) Penk and their sons Bjorn and Noah of Lier, Norway; and a granddaughter Emily (Marshall) Penk-Smith and their daughter Elsa of St. Louis Park, MN. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Eirleen Foss.