Lester Ora Foltz

Lester Ora Foltz Jr., (Les) 83, of East Wenatchee, a former longtime resident of Redmond, Washington, passed away on Thursday afternoon, October 17, 2013 in East Wenatchee, following an extended illness. He was born on December 19, 1929 at Arkansas City, Kansas to Lester Ora Sr., and Thelma Ercelle (Smith) Foltz. At the age of five, he moved with his family to Barstow, California where he attended school through his junior year of high school. The family moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon, where he attended his senior year and graduated in 1948. Following high school, he entered the military and while on furlough in Klamath Falls, met the love of his life, Joan Lucille Elliott. Married on March 30, 1951, Les and Joan made their first home together in Klamath Falls for the next four years. The young couple made numerous moves during Lester's military service which included, Fort Ord, CA, Fort Knox, KY, Fort Lewis, WA, Panama, Anchorage, AK, and Fairbanks, AK. Les served in Korea and twice in Vietnam. Retiring from active service, they made their home in Anchorage, where Les completed his college education and received a BA degree in Psychology and Sociology. Les took a clerk position at a local Pay n' Save store with the intention of filling retirement time. However, he was soon on another career path. He was moved into Human Resources where he eventually became Human Resource Manager for the Pay n' Save corporation in Seattle. The Foltz's made their home in Bellevue for the next 9 years before moving to Redmond in 1987. Les retired from Pay'n Save in 1992. Les and Joan continued to live in Redmond until moving to East Wenatchee to be closer to their family members in September of this year. Les was a former member of the Resurrection Episcopal Church of Bellevue and later became a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue. Les and Joan served in a ministry to shut-in nursing home patients and brought them communion. He was a long time member of the American Legion Post # 239 of Bellevue, where he served on the honor guard at funerals throughout the area as well as the Tahoma National Cemetery for over 13 years. He was also a member of the V.F.W. Post 2995 of Redmond. Lester was an artist and cartoonist. He was recruited to employ his talent often by the military, his civilian employers and volunteer venues to design posters for instruction and promotions. His big love was always God and his family, however, he had many interests including military history, motorcycles, boating and model trains. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Joan L. Foltz, East Wenatchee; three children, Debra and her husband, Jerry Yonaka, East Wenatchee, Randall "Randy" and his wife, Teresa Foltz, Wenatchee and Jill and her husband, Glenn Harrison, Austin, Texas; one brother and sister-in-law, William & Gabriella Foltz, Eugene, Oregon; two sisters and one brother-in-law, Barbara & Bob Hanson, Klamath Falls, Oregon and Arlene Freeman, Central Point, Oregon; six grandchildren, Rachael Wright, Spokane, Rebekah (Joe) Pierce, Tri Cities, WA, Kristi Foltz, Wenatchee, Tiffany (Mike) Heffernan, Austin, TX, Trevor Harrison, Houston, TX and Hannah Wendell, Wenatchee and three great grandchildren, Taylor Heffernan and Mackenzie Heffernan both of Austin, TX and Cash Harrison, South Dakota. He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Michael Foltz, a daughter, Vicki Foltz and four sisters, Elaine Hitson, May Louise Ross, Darlene Blackwell and Donna Peterson. A Columbarium Niche Inurnment service with Military Honors will be held at Tahoma National Cemetery at Kent, Washington in the spring of 2014. You are invited to visit his tribute online at www.HeritageMemorialChapel.com. Arrangements are in the care of Heritage Memorial Chapel, East Wenatchee

Lester Ora Foltz

December 19, 1929 - October 17, 2013