In Memoriam: Foster Friess

National Association of Scholars

The National Association of Scholars mourns the passing of Foster S. Friess.

Foster was a first-generation college graduate, born in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. He was valedictorian, class president, student council president, and captain of the basketball, track, golf, and baseball teams. At the University of Wisconsin, Foster earned a degree in business administration, served as president of his fraternity, was named one of the “ten most outstanding senior men,” and won the heart of Lynnette Estes, whom he married in 1962. Foster and Lynn had two sons and two daughters, and fifteen grandchildren.

Foster was a generous supporter of the NAS’s work, as he was generous to the numerous charities that he supported. He and Lynn were guided by their commitment to Galatians 6:2 “Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

His philanthropic activities were responses to real-world problems and included providing water purification units in Sri Lanka, Malawi, and Haiti; funding mobile medical vans that serve thousands of people in poor areas of the United States; and funding businesses for widows in Haiti alongside the launch of the Haiti Renewal Fund after that country’s 2010 earthquake.

Foster often said that his number-one mentor is Jesus. “He was the greatest role model of all. His treatment of people, his forgiveness, and his universal love are inspirational. Jesus spoke about the importance of reaching out to the poor. His words taught me that our money, our health, our family—they aren’t ours but his. We are not the owners—we are the stewards.”

The NAS mourns the passing of Foster: a committed father and husband, generous friend, and fervent follower of Christ.


Image: Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia CommonsCreative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license, cropped.

  • Share

Most Commented

September 6, 2024

1.

Professor Alleges "Widespread" Discriminatory Hiring Coverup at University of Washington

Audio acquired by the National Association of Scholars describes allegations of coverup race-based hiring coverup at the University of Washington...

October 29, 2024

2.

The Looming Irrelevance of Middle East Study Centers

Today’s Middle Eastern Studies Centers are facing a crisis due to the winds of change in the Middle East and their own ideological echo chamber....

September 25, 2024

3.

NAS Statement on University of Pennsylvania Sanction of Amy Wax

The National Association of Scholars is outraged—but not surprised—by Penn's decision to penalize Wax for exercising her academic freedom. ...

Most Read

May 15, 2015

1.

Where Did We Get the Idea That Only White People Can Be Racist?

A look at the double standard that has arisen regarding racism, illustrated recently by the reaction to a black professor's biased comments on Twitter....

October 12, 2010

2.

Ask a Scholar: What is the True Definition of Latino?

What does it mean to be Latino? Are only Latin American people Latino, or does the term apply to anyone whose language derived from Latin?...

September 21, 2010

3.

Ask a Scholar: What Does YHWH Elohim Mean?

A reader asks, "If Elohim refers to multiple 'gods,' then Yhwh Elohim really means Lord of Gods...the one of many, right?" A Hebrew expert answers....