July 8 - 11, 2010

                               Kent Cornucopia Days 2010 - "The Festival of the Valley" - A community service project of the Kent Lions, Kent WA
 

2010 Old Timer King & Queen

Selected and presented by the Greater Kent Historical Society

This year’s King and Queen are Tom & Margaret Foster

Tom and Margaret Foster are long time Kent residents.  Although Tom was born in Wenatchee and Margaret was born in North Dakota, their families came to Kent for the same reasons:  better opportunities and work.  Margaret’s family came to Kent in 1936 while Tom’s family moved in 1941. 

Tom and Margaret lived near each other in the Panther Lake area.  They both attended Panther Lake Elementary when it had four rooms and held first through eighth grade—no kindergarten.  From there, students went on to high school—Tom attended the last graduating class of Kent High School (located on James and Central) while Margaret, just one year behind Tom, graduated from the two consolidated high schools:  Kent High School and Meridian Union High School which became Kent-Meridian High School.

Tom has had a long working career beginning at the age of 10 when he began as newspaper carrier. “My route was 6 miles,” said Foster “back then Margaret helped with the route when I couldn’t.  We were just friends then.”  At 11, Tom was commissioned to dig a neighbor’s well by hauling away 5-gallon buckets of dirt.  By the age of 14 he earned money by picking raspberries for the local farm, “kids had to stand in the back of a truck as we brought them in from Renton.”  By the age of 15 Tom was named Field Boss, “they thought I could do it…I was paid close to 50 cents an hour.”  Since there weren’t enough adults around during WWII, the kids had to help get jobs done. 

The Fosters grew up in the Panther Lake area where they rode bicycles and played baseball, “she was one of the guys,” Tom quipped.  They roller skated and rode horses down the Benson Highway where the Panther Lake Elementary building remains today.  “Back then,” Margaret said, “maybe three to four cars would go by in an hour.”

“After we graduated, both of us went to work at my Dad’s grocery store,” Tom said, “it was at the corner of 108^th (Benson) and 208^th (Panther Lake Road).  Tom worked in the butcher shop while Margaret helped as a grocer.

They married in 1949 and appreciated everything they got in those early years.  They had five children, 4 boys and a girl and they all still live in the area.  They have 9 grandchildren and just received their sixth great-grandchild as of Tuesday, June 8.

The Fosters have a yearly family reunion—Christmas morning breakfast at a table set for 27.  “We turn the dining room table and stretch out into the living room for everyone to sit,” said Tom, “this year would make 28 people—that may be too much for Grandma!”

Tom began a long career with the Fire Department back in 1951 when he worked as a volunteer at Panther Lake in King County Fire District #37.  From 1952-1965, Foster worked for the Seattle Fire Department.  In 1965, when the Kent Fire Department switched over to paying staff, Tom was hired.  He remembered, “There was a Chief, an Assistant Chief and 10 fire fighters.”  Foster remained Chief until 1981.  At that time he became the first paid drill master of the academy for the state and trained new fire fighters from all over Washington.  He worked for 10 years as drill master, safety officer and director of the training center in North Bend.  Tom had been an associate for Fire Chiefs at many different levels over his career—local, regional and state.

After attempting to retire, the Fosters went on to install cabinets for Safeway and traveled the states, “We have no desire to visit other countries because this one has so much to offer.”  Since then, Tom has found a niche in woodworking while Margaret finds peace as a seamstress of clothing and repair work, “I often have stacks of ‘will you do’,” claimed Margaret.  Both enjoy being part of the Old Timers group and helping with their reunions.

Tom enjoys spending time with grandkids and teaching them the value of a good day’s work.  “This summer, my 17 year old granddaughter will help with cutting firewood, clearing and chipping brush,” Foster said, “it’s hard for kids to find jobs these days…and if Grandpa’s gonna give money, then they might as well work for it…I always worked for mine.”