John Frederick Foss
Born: February 16th, 1921
Died: August 29th, 2011
Obituary
Dr. John Frederick Foss, MD, 90, died Monday, August 29, 2011 at Great River Medical Center in Burlington, IA. He was born February 16, 1921 in Maynard, IAds to Earl and Ethel Mae DeLong Foss. He was married to Beatrice Hoehne on June 11, 1943 in Camp Polk, LA. During World War II, he served in the European theater and held the rank of Captain in the 151st Signal Company, 11th Armored Division of Patton's Third Army. He earned a BS degree from Coe College, Cedar Rapids, IA, in 1942, his MD degree from the University of Iowa in 1951, and practiced general medicine in Burlington, IA, from 1952 to 1961. He completed a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Iowa in 1964 and practiced that specialty in Burlington from 1964 to 1978. He moved to Morgantown, WV, in 1978 and became the Associate Dean of Student Affairs in the medical school at the University of West Virginia. He and his wife moved back to Burlington in 1989. He is survived by his wife, Beatrice, his daughter, Gretchen and her husband, George Thomas of Warren, NJ; his son, John and his wife, Nancy of Madison, WI; his son, Stephen and his wife, Sally of Longmont, CO; and his daughter, Ann and her husband, Philip Rettenmaier of Fort Wayne, IN. He is survived by six grandchildren, Ehren Foss of Austin, TX; Katherine Foss of Boston, MA; Benjamin Foss with the US Navy in Tokyo, Japan; Christopher Foss of Minneapolis, MN; Lydia Abbott (Rettenmaier) and husband, Ryan of Indianapolis, IN, and Andrew Rettenmaier of West Lafayette, IN. He is survived by two step grandchildren, Ross Riege and Sarah Kurtz. His sister, Mida Drinkwater of Manchester, IA also survives him. He was preceded in death by his parents and his elder sister, Earlene Otto of Viroqua, WI. The memorial service for Dr. Foss will be September 12, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church, Burlington, IA with Rev. Suzanne Smith officiating. Interment of ashes will be at a later date. Memorial funds have been established in the name of John F. Foss at Messiah Lutheran Church and for the Flint River Trail. Donations may be made to either fund through Gretchen Thomas, 80 Mountainview Rd., Warren, NJ 07059.