[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 20]
[Senate]
[Page 26684]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    REMEMBERING RICHARD NEAL FOSTER

 Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I rise today to acknowledge the 
life of one of Alaska's most dedicated public servants. Representative 
Richard Neal Foster served as a member of the Alaska House of 
Representatives for nearly 21 years. Since his election in 1988 he 
represented the residents of Nome and 28 villages with great love and 
dedication. Alaska will remember him this Friday at a memorial service 
in Anchorage.
  A lifelong Alaskan, Representative Foster was born and raised in 
Nome. He received a business administration degree from the University 
of Alaska. He managed Foster Aviation, a family-run air service started 
by his father in 1946. He was a civic leader in the community of Nome 
serving on the boards of the Bering Straits Native Corporation, the 
Sitnasuak Native Corporation, Nome Eskimo Community, and the Northwest 
Campus of the University of Alaska.
  Representative Foster will be remembered for a lifetime of public 
service. After serving two tours in Vietnam as a captain in military 
intelligence he was awarded the Bronze Star. He received a commission 
as a second lieutenant in the Army through the University of Alaska, 
Army ROTC program. As a man with passion for Alaska, he later served 
with the Alaska Army National Guard in Nome.
  During his tenure in the Alaska State legislature, he served as 
majority whip from 1993 to 2007. Showing his commitment to address the 
challenges of rural Alaska, he was a member of the Bush Caucus as well 
as the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Task Force Committee. And, in 2009, 
he was honored as a University of Alaska Distinguished Alumni because 
of his dedication to public service.
  As one of the longest serving members in the Alaska legislature, it 
saddens me to acknowledge that Alaska has lost one of our truly great 
leaders. I had the honor of serving in the legislature with 
Representative Foster. He was a man with an infectious laugh and he had 
a great love for the Seward Peninsula and the State of Alaska. Never 
letting divisive politics come between friendships, he was known for 
his humility and friendliness to both Republicans and Democrats. His 
``Friday at Fosters'' events, where he hosted legislators, staff, 
administration officials, friends, and visitors for a Friday evening 
jam sessions for over 17 years, will be sorely missed.
  Foster loved the outdoors of the Seward Peninsula, a region with a 
rich mining history. He spent his summers at Hannum Creek, working on 
his family's mining claims. One time, he and his sister Iris and son 
Neal walked 80 miles of the historic mining trail from Quartz Creek to 
Hannum Creek to experience the journey of ``Old Timers.'' In addition, 
Foster was known for his love of military history including the Civil 
War and World War II and was a collector of military weapons.
  He is survived by his wife Cathryn of Eatonville, WA; seven sons, 
Neal Foster of Nome, AK; James Foster of Anchorage, AK; Nathan Foster 
of Ellendale, ND; 1st Lt. Jason Weber, LCpl Richard Foster, Ramsey 
Foster, and Chandler Foster, all of Eatonville, WA; and two daughters, 
Maria Stevens of Tacoma, WA, Tiffany Sanchez of Miami, OK; and sister 
Margaret ``Iris'' Magnell of Laguna Hills, CA.
  Foster's public service to the State of Alaska will continue to 
positively impact the lives of Alaskans for decades to come.

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