Wintress (Winnie) Foster

Wintress (Winnie) Foster, 83, a long-time resident of the Galesburg area, died Thursday, the 23rd of June 2011, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Galesburg –  from a two-year courageous battle with lung cancer.   Winnie was born November 8, 1927 in Oakwood, Illinois. She graduated from Maquon High School in 1945 and later joined the Morris Beauty School. She practiced cosmetology until the birth of her daughter. She re-entered the work force years later when she joined Gale Products. She worked at Gales for over 17 years – most of those years in the parts depot.   Winnie enjoyed spending time with friends and family, socializing, watching good movies, gardening, cooking and most of all shopping. One of her favorite activities was to go on an all day shopping spree with her granddaughter to one of their favorite malls. She is best known for her famous oyster dressing that always adorned the table at Thanksgiving and Christmas family dinners.   She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Dale, who retired from the railroad in 1988; one daughter, Rebecca Foster of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin; and one granddaughter Jennifer Childers of Madison, Wisconsin. She was preceded in death by her parents, Hugh and Ethel (Nelson) Conger, and three brothers – Walter Bowles of Galesburg, Melvin Conger of Maquon and Vernon Conger of Las Vegas, Nevada.   Funeral will be 11:00 a.m. Monday June 27, 2011 at Watson Funeral Home in Galesburg with Eleanor Landon officiating.  Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery, Galesburg.  Visitation will be from 3:00-5:00 p.m. Sunday evening at Watson Funeral Home. A celebration of life luncheon honoring Winnie will be from 12:00-2:30 p.m. Monday at The American Legion in Galesburg. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Jack E. Larson Endowment Fund c/o the Galesburg Community Foundation to benefit children.