R. Foster Medford

R. Foster Medford, age 86, of Grants Pass, died Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at his home.

A memorial service will be at 11:00 a.m., Sunday, January 10, 2010 at Grants Pass Seventh-day Adventist Church with Pastor Marvin Clark officiating. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Remembrances may be made to Grants Pass Seventh-day Adventist School, 2250 NW Heidi Lane, Grants Pass, Oregon 97526.

Foster was born April 6, 1923 in Coleman, Michigan to Harry & Ethel Medford. After graduating from high school in 1941 he continued his education at Andrews University with a Bachelor of Arts degree; Michigan State University with a Masters of Arts degree; and Boston University with a CAGS (certificate of advanced graduate studies). He was a Seventh-day Adventist Minister and from 1953 to 1963 he served as a missionary in Africa and from 1988 to 1993 as a missionary in Taiwan. He was also a Seventh-day Adventist School Superintendent for grades k-12 and college and was Washington Adventist Hospital Chaplain in Tacoma Park, Maryland. In 1999 he married Loweta Walter. In 2002 he moved from Inverness, Florida to Grants Pass.

He enjoyed tutoring children and gardening.

Survivors include his wife, Loweta Fae Medford of Grants Pass, Oregon; three children, Glenda Sutherland of Bend, Oregon, Charles Medford of Valdes, North Carolina and Gloria Cooper of Boring, Oregon; four stepchildren, Judi Clark of Grants Pass, Oregon, Clifford Walter of Brush Prairie, Washington, Sheryl Shewmake of Grants Pass, Oregon and Clinton Walter of Olympia, Washington; a sister, Barbara Hamlin of Berrien Springs, Michigan; three brothers, Robert Medford of Lakeview, Michigan, Lester Medford of Loma Linda, California and Ronald Medford of Miami, Florida; 13 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; 3 great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by two sisters, Dorothy Snow and Gladys Medford.