Funeral service for Billy Gordon Foster (NJ5Y), 83, Meers, will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 4, 2014, in the Becker-Rabon Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. John Cramer, Retired Methodist Minister, and Rev. Charles Quoetone officiating Mr. Foster died Tuesday, September 30, 2014, at his residence. Burial will be in the KCA Tribal Cemetery, north of Lawton. Bill was born August 18, 1931 in Fort Sill, Oklahoma to Gordon and Katherine (Finley) Foster. He grew up in Lawton/Ft. Sill where at an early age he learned from his father to hunt and fish and enjoy the game of golf, passions he held throughout his life. You could describe him as an Outdoorsman. One of his earliest and most vivid memories involved a train ride to Altus Oklahoma to visit his Mother's family. As a senior in High School and after a visit with his Principal, Hugh Bish, Bill's journey took an unexpected turn when he left to join the Army. Following his enlistment he found himself in the 2nd Infantry and in the middle of the Korean War as a Communications Specialist. During combat he was shot in the right shoulder. Following the healing of his wounds in Japan by way of Seoul, Korea he returned to combat with his Division. He was honorably discharged from the Army in August 1953 with the rank of Master Sergeant. He was awarded the Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation, Army Occupation Medal (Japan), United Nations Service Medal, Republic of Korea President, and Unit Citation Korean Service Medal with 6 bronze stars. Once home from the war he returned to his studies and was a 1954 graduate of Lawton High School. He attended Cameron Junior College where he served as the editor of the student newspaper and was a member of the student senate. Bill's time at Cameron was short lived as he transferred to the University of Oklahoma with his good friend George Rhoades. Inevitably, Bill became homesick and without transportation to Lawton, hitched a ride home with George's cousin Edl Lee Rhoades. They married in April of 1957. With a young family in tow, he moved to Fairbanks Alaska where he worked for R.C.A. He later explained the move with great enthusiasm, "There was great hunting and fishing up there". While in Alaska Bill obtained his private pilots license. The family returned to Oklahoma and Bill returned to his studies at the University of Oklahoma where he graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in Journalism in 1968. During this time he worked as a free lance writer contributing primarily to western and outdoor magazines. The family then moved to Tulsa Oklahoma where he accepted a position with the Tulsa Tribune. Bill quickly rose through the ranks to the position of Editor of INNOVATE the Tribune Magazine. He was once interviewed by the Sooner State Press and described INNOVATE as a place to give Tribune staff the opportunity to express themselves creatively. Every editor, reporter, deskman and photographer can write or shoot pictures for INNOVATE. Often subject matter was taken from Bill's "innovative" direction. In 1984 the family moved home to Meers and Bill took on a second career as a dispatcher for the Western District of Comanche County where he worked with many wonderful people and commissioners retiring after years of dedicated service. During this time he had many pursuits and interests including Grant Writing for the Meers Community Association where he served as President. He was active with the Lawton Ft. Sill Amateur Radio Club. His call sign NJ5Y indicated his mastery of HAM radio operations and as a Morse code translator. He was a charter member of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Division 16 where he rose to the rank of DCP or Division Captain. Bill was a member of the Stony Point Rod and Gun Club and served as the Assistant Fire Chief for the Meers Voluntary Fire Department working to establish the first Tour De Meers Bike Ride and Fund Raiser. In 1993 Bill completed the Comanche County Sheriff's Department Reserve Academy where he distinguished himself as a member of the Honor Guard and served until the time of his death He is survived by his wife of the home, a daughter, Kristan E. Foster of Meers; a son, Gordon Lee Foster & fiancée Wendy Billings of Lawton; two grandchildren, Matthew David Freeman of Meers and Casey Foster and wife Lindsey of Edmond; a brother, Norman Foster and wife Aileen of Oklahoma City; numerous nieces, nephews and brothers and sisters-in-law. His parents and a daughter, Gretchen LaRue Foster-Freeman, DVM preceded him in death.