Stephen Hobbs Foust

Stephen H. Foust died peacefully at home on February 11, 2024. Steve was born to the late John H. Foust and Sarah Fern Abbott on May 29, 1952, in Cheyenne Wyoming. Steve never married, although he came close a couple of times, and he has no children that we know of. He is survived by his two sisters, Linda Foust of Oakland California and Mary Foust of San Angelo, Texas; three nephews, Christopher Husch of San Francisco, California; Nick Post of Firestone, Colorado and Jordan Post of Middletown, Pennsylvania. He has five great nephews: Jordan, Malachi, Caleb, Benji and Jonathan.

Steve was raised in Brighton, Colorado, against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. Being the only boy, standards for his conduct were more relaxed than for his sisters. He was quietly mischievous, and our parents were none the wiser. Always the scientist, he busied himself with experiments when the parents were out. He set off smoke bombs in the house and lasered the brains of grasshoppers with a magnifying glass. As a teen, he drove all the way to Wyoming on a Cushman motorcycle, something akin to a mo-ped. Once there, he bought packs of M80 firecrackers which contain 80 grains of dynamite each. Thank God he didn’t set those off in the house. Steve was an avid photographer and snapped photos when one least expected it. He developed the film himself in our basement dark room and hung the wet photos on a line to dry.

Steve was an industrious teenager and worked as a paperboy, washed windshields at the drive-in, and made donuts at the local breakfast stop. We ate day-old donuts galore. Steve always had money and could be counted on for a loan. He paid cash for his first car, a Triumph TR, which he completely restored. It cluttered up our driveway for months.

When the Vietnam war was in full swing and Steve’s draft number was looming, he joined the Marines. He served in Okinawa for 2 years and achieved the rank of corporal. Upon honorable discharge, he embarked on an adventure to the west coast. He worked in a gas station and in the oil fields before settling in as a lumberjack in Washington and Oregon. He lived as a hermit in the woods by night and felled mighty trees by day. He was paid by piecework, so he became fast and efficient. This went on for years until finally our father, a petroleum engineer, asked him when he was going to grow up and get a real job. After consideration, Steve enrolled in the college of engineering at the University of Wyoming. He was 30 years old. He earned his bachelor’s degree and went on to earn his Master of Science in civil engineering, graduating with honors. He excelled at math and physics and could tell you the formula for how many times a leaf twitters in the breeze per minute.

Steve landed a federal job as a highway engineer, doing planning and research for the US Department of Transportation. He traded his lumberjack flannels for a shirt and tie and “wore that monkey suit” for 30 years. He was transferred to Wisconsin, Georgia, and finally to Topeka, Kansas, where he made his home. After retiring from the workforce, he won grants for a neighborhood improvement project. He addressed the foibles of his 100-year-old house and planted an enormous garden.

Steve was quite the cook and made nutritious meals from the vegetables he grew. Well, except for the time we each ate 1-1/2 pounds of bacon. It’s hard to say no to bacon. Steve loved growing tomatoes. He made tomato sauce and preserved it for winter. He often joked that he would have “plant tomatoes here” inscribed on his tombstone. Well, guess what? It’s not a joke anymore.

Steve, always an avid smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2022. He moved to San Angelo to be near family, and we had a wonderful year together before he passed. Steve was known as quite a character around the assisted living facility. He had a wonderful sense of humor and an abundant vocabulary. He could be both gracious and irreverent. He refused to substitute the word, “Cheezits” for invocation of the Lord’s name. In spite of this, he assured us that he believed in Jesus as his savior and would partake in the splendors of heaven. So, he is there now, maybe computing some heavenly algorithm or engaging in a bit of mischief. He was dearly loved and will be greatly missed.

A memorial service for Steve will be held at Christian Church of San Angelo, 4064 S. Bryant Blvd., San Angelo, Texas, 76903, at 10:30 am on April 18, 2024. The service will be followed by a light lunch. If you are willing to drive to Decker Cemetery in Blackwell, Texas (an hour from San Angelo), please join us for interment of the cremains, and to plant tomatoes at the grave site. (There are no restrooms at Decker but there are a few trees). Donations can be made to Decker Cemetery c/o Rudy Thomas, 1801 B CR 273, Maryneal, Texas 79535, (325) 288-4486.