John Foster Fluetsch

1936 - 2022

John Foster Fluetsch
February 13, 1936 - February 5, 2022
Sandy, Utah - John Foster Fluetsch was born in Merced California to John Jay Fluetsch and Helen Shaffer Fluetsch. He was the second of five children: brothers Peter, Michael and Christopher and sister Heidi. Foster graduated from Merced Union High in 1953 and Stanford University in 1957.
Foster married Jimi Lou Cargil at the Carmel Mission on April 13, 1957. They spent many years in the Stockton area where they raised their six children, Tim (Dorothy), Tom, Mary Margaret Bloom (David), Barbara (Loree), Diana Sullivan (Dave) and Michael, as well as Jimi Lou's niece and nephew (Ronny and Rhonda). They had 12 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. His life-long love and high school sweet-heart, Jimi Lou, passed in November 2019.
Foster was a long-time supporter of the Boy Scouts of America. In 1978, The Forty-Niner Council presented him with the Silver Beaver Award for his distinguished service to Scouting and to the Forty-Niner Council, of which he was President for many years. When asked his religious affiliation, he said "Scouting".
Foster spent 25 years with Stanislaus-Merced Savings, which then merged with State Savings. He was President in 1983 when State Savings merged with American Savings to create the nation's largest savings and loan and became among the ten largest financial institutions. One of his many business innovations was the creation of the employee daycare, Little Mavericks, an idea well before its time.
Foster loved telling humorous and self-deprecating stories of his childhood, his trip with his brother Pete to the Scouting World Jamboree in Austria in 1951, and his misadventures in college and through his adulthood.
He loved to cook and loved eating even more. He was an incredible gardener creating beautiful landscapes and Koi ponds. He especially enjoyed growing his plants from seedlings and raising baby koi in his greenhouses.
He started painting again when he and Jimi Lou moved to Utah. His paintings adorn the walls of his children and grandchildren's homes.
Among his fondest memories were almost annual fishing trips with friends to Yellowstone and Alaska and later annual Father-Son fishing trips with his son-in-law David Bloom to the Walker River.
We think his greatest enjoyment came from being with family. Despite busy work and volunteer schedules, he attended or participated in his childrens' school programs, scouting programs and campouts, recitals, and sporting events. There was a huge hole in his heart when Jimi Lou died in November 2019.
On February 5th, Foster passed away in his son and daughter-in-law's Sandy, Utah home surrounded by many of his children. He will be missed by his great friends, family and colleagues.
A celebration of life will be held at Woodbridge Country Club, 800 E. Woodbridge Road, Woodbridge, CA 95258 on Sunday, April 24th from 1:00 pm- 3:00 pm.
Donations in Foster's memory may be made to the Greater Yosemite Council – Boy Scouts of America, 4031 Technology Drive, Modesto, California 95356 www.yosemitescouting.org