Gilbert S. Foster

Gilbert S. Foster

Gilbert S. Foster of Water Mill died on September 18 at the Hamptons Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing in Southampton. He was 87.

Born January 29, 1923, in Southampton to Mabel and Leonard Foster, he graduated from Southampton schools in 1941. Following high school, he was employed by Colt’s Patent Firearms in Connecticut, where he spent three months working as a stock-chaser before returning to Long Island.

Originally denied enlistment in the U.S. armed forces because of acute sinusitis and a bad heart, Mr. Foster was drafted into the 8th Air Force and served in the 711th Bombardment Squadron as Staff Sergeant. He flew 23 missions before being grounded for health reasons. He was a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal—he was on the crew of one of three planes that survived a mission in which 18 planes went down.

When he returned to the United States, he was assigned to Lowry Field in Denver, Colorado, where he met Doris Colglazier of Holyoke, Colorado, whom he married on August 18, 1945. He was transferred to Mississippi and discharged from the Air Force in October of 1945. He returned with his wife to the 300-year-old home of his childhood in Water Mill and went to work for Grumman Aerospace in Calverton for 23 years.

Serving for 27 years as president of the Water Mill Rod and Gun Club, Mr. Foster taught hunter safety classes for many years. In addition, he served as an advisor to the New York State Commissioner of Environmental Conservation for the Fish and Wildlife Board for Long Island and Westchester; and as the chairman of the Southampton Conservation Board for more than 30 years, most recently serving as its vice president. He also was on the board of directors for the Quogue Wildlife Refuge and on the board of the Water Mill Cemetery Association. In his spare time, Mr. Foster collected stamps, fished and was an avid camper in the Adirondacks.

In addition to his wife of 65 years, he is survived by three daughters, Melissa and her husband Gene Dombrowski of Water Mill, Beverly Brown of Albany and Catherine Foster-Connor of New Jersey; four sons, Stuart Foster and his wife Kathy of Water Mill, Brian Foster and his wife Deborah of Riverhead, Scott Foster of Laurel, and Leonard Foster of South Carolina; 10 grandchildren, Demetrius, Stephanie, Nichole, Kevin, April, Stuart Jr., Ashley, Courtney, Kelly, and Brittany; and five great-grandchildren.

The family received visitors on September 21 at the Brockett Funeral Home in Southampton, where a funeral service was conducted on September 22. Interment followed at Water Mill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to Southampton Township Wildfowl Association, P.O. Box 492, Quogue, NY 11959-0492 would be appreciated by the family.