Beatrice Hannah Foss
Born: June 6th, 1920
Died: June 3rd, 2016
Obituary
Beatrice Hannah Louise Hoehne Foss, 95, died Friday, June 3, 2016 at Great River Hospice House in Burlington.
She was born June 6, 1920, in Westgate, Iowa to Otto Karl and Lydia Wilhelmina Sophia Timmerman Hoehne. On June 11, 1943, she married John Frederick Foss in Camp Polk, Louisiana. He died August 29, 2011.
She graduated from Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa in 1938, with majors in music and English. She was a talented musician and enjoyed singing all of her life. She was classically trained and sang in many programs, concerts and recitals. She was a founding member of Bel Canto Chorale in Burlington, Iowa. Among numerous other solo roles, she sang the Mother in the opera “Amahl and the Night Visitors.” She played the lead role of Ella in the Player’s Workshop production of “Bells Are Ringing” and Bloody Mary in “South Pacific.” She continued to sing throughout her life.
Bea is also remembered for her portrayal of Edith Perkins in many historical re-enactments in Burlington. (Edith Perkins and her husband, Charles, built “The Appletrees” in Perkins Park.)
Bea’s gift and love of music has been passed onto her children and grandchildren, several of whom use their music professionally.
Survivors include her four children, Gretchen (George) Thomas of Warren, NJ, John (Nancy) Foss of Madison, WI, Stephen (Sally) Foss of Longmont, CO, Ann (Philip) Rettenmaier of Fort Wayne, IN; six grandchildren, Ehren (Kim Righter) Foss of Boston, MA, Katherine Foss of Boston, MA, Benjamin Foss of Longmont, CO, Christopher Foss of Minneapolis, MN, Lydia Rettenmaier (Ryan) Abbott of Indianapolis, IN, Andrew (Megan) Rettenmaier of Seattle, WA, and one great-granddaughter, Emelie Abbott of Indianapolis, IN.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. John Foss, her parents, and her brothers, Carl John Hoehne and Paul Victor Hoehne.
The celebration of life for Beatrice Foss will be 11:00 AM Saturday, June 25, 2016, at Messiah Lutheran Church with Reverend Susanne E. Smith officiating. A private inurnment will be in Aspen Grove Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established in Bea Foss's name for Bel Canto Chorale and Messiah Lutheran Church Music Department.