- Date Of Birth: December 11, 1925
- Date Of Death: May 9, 2017
- State: Illinois
Dale (Sheeney) J. Foster, 91, Galesburg, passed away Tuesday, May 9, 2017, at his home peacefully with family by his side. Dale was born Dec. 11, 1925, in Herman, Ill., the third son of Homer and Lena (Thurman) Foster. He had two brothers and two sisters. He graduated from Maquon High School in 1943 and was a member of the 1942 Maquon High School basketball team, better known as “The Overalls Boys.” This team is famous for its incredible winning streak of 31 games, capturing county, district, and regional titles and finally losing in sectionals against East Peoria in double overtime by two points. The team averaged 5-foot 8-inches in height and went to games dressed in bib-overalls. Soon after high school, Dale enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served two years in the communications division and was stationed in Osaka, Japan.
In September, 1947, Dale married Wintress (Winnie) Conger in Galesburg at First Presbyterian Church. He soon became an employee of CB& Q railroad, later to become Burlington Northern Railroad. He was an employee of the railroad for 42 years and retired in 1989. One of his favorite responsibilities was to give local color as a conductor on the AMTRAK train between Galesburg and Lincoln, Nebraska. He was an active member of the El Bon Shrine, Alpha Lodge No. 155 A.F. & A.M., and served on the railroad credit union board of directors. He was a newspaperman and enjoyed reading three to four papers every morning, loved crossword puzzles, the daily jumble, and playing cribbage with his good friend Rita Mills. He loved to golf and on most sunny days you could find it at Bunker Links with his buddies. He loved following local sports and backed the Streaks, Bulls, Bears, and Blackhawks. Dale always looked forward to the University of Illinois – basketball and football. However, his first love has always been baseball. He supported youth baseball and was an avid Cubs fan. Last year’s World Series win was the icing on Dale’s cake. Last Christmas Dale received every piece of Cub apparel known to mankind. He was a long-standing member of the Galesburg American Legion. In the past, he volunteered for Friday Night Fish, Saturday Hamburger events, Taco Tuesdays, and holiday parties. The legion was his friend circle and social network. He was devastated when the doors closed last year. Dale will be missed.
Survivors include one daughter, Rebecca, Sun Prairie, Wis, and one granddaughter, Jennifer Childers, of Madison, Wis. He was a loving husband, wonderful father, and devoted grandfather. He has a large number of friends and was best known for “working the room” at most social gatherings. He loved his Maquon High School reunions and they were the highlight of each year. He never missed a reunion.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Wintress, in 2011. And, brothers, Dean (Helen) Foster and Rolland (Adela) Foster. And, sisters, Evelyn (Sam) Wasson, Vancouver, Wash., and Peggy (Robert) McDonald, Redlands, Calif.
