James Robert “Jim” Foster, of rural Montgomery City passed away Friday, March 28, 2025, at his home surrounded by family.
Jim was born April 8, 1941 in New Florence to Ralph and Thelma Adams Foster. He graduated from Montgomery County High School in 1959 and received his Bachelor of Science degree in animal husbandry from the University of Missouri-Columbia in May 1963. He married Mary Louise Daume on October 12, 1963 at the United Methodist Church in Montgomery City.
Jim and Mary worked side by side raising hogs and farming for over 60 years. They are the parents of three children: Eddie Foster and his wife Tracy of Montgomery City, Cathy Griesbauer and her husband Dennis of Falcon (Laclede County) and Maria Stille and her husband Ned of Bellflower; grandchildren: Jake Griesbauer and his wife Miranda of Falcon, Jes Litty and her husband Jake of Falcon, Ellie Francois and her husband Jacob of Montgomery City, Kara Niemeyer and her husband Jed of Middletown, Elden Foster of Montgomery City, Ruben Foster and his wife Izzy of New Florence, Allen Foster of Montgomery City, Shelby Stille of Bellflower, Heather Stille of Parnell (Nodaway County) and Shea Stille of Bellflower; eight great-grandchildren, Cooper, Eli and Emmersyn Griesbauer, Cole and Claire Niemeyer, George Francois and Joseph and Jenessa Litty.
Jim put in many hours over the years serving on the board of several organizations including Service & Supply Cooperative, Organization for Competitive Markets, Missouri Farmers Union, National Hampshire Association, R-CALF, Missouri Pork Producers, Montgomery Rural Fire Protection District and First United Methodist Presbyterian Church. He also worked with local and college judging teams for many years and judged many hog shows throughout Missouri and Illinois.
Visitation will be held from noon-4 p.m. on April 8 at the First United Methodist Presbyterian Church in Montgomery City. A memorial service will be held afterwards at the church. Interment will be at the Bellflower Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Bellflower Cemetery or St. Jude Children’s Hospital in care of Schlanker Funeral Home, 207 Danville Road, Montgomery City, MO 63361.
For this one farmer the worries are over, lie down and rest your head,
Your time has been and struggles enough, put the tractor in the shed.
Years were not easy, many downright hard, but your faith in God transcended,
Put away your tools and sleep in peace, the fences have all been mended.
You raised a fine family, worked the land well and always followed the Son,
Hang up your shovel inside of the barn, your work here on earth is done.
A faith few possess led your journey through life, often a rough and rocky way,
The sun is setting, the hogs are all bedded, here now is the end of your day.
Your love of God’s soil has passed on to your kin, the stories flow like fine wine,
Wash off your boots in the puddle left by the blessed rain one final time.
You always believed the good Lord would provide and He always did somehow,
Take off your gloves and put them down, no more sweat and worry for you now.
Your labor is done, your home now in heaven, no more must you wait,
Your legacy lives on, your love of the land, and we will close the gate.
