Russell Wayne Foster

WHEN SOMEONE YOU LOVE BECOMES A MEMORY, HIS MEMORY BECOMES A TREASURE.

“RUSSELL WAYNE FOSTER LOVED MANY THINGS IN LIFE ~ THE OPEN ROAD, THE HUM OF A GOOD ENGINE, A WELL-ORGANIZED TOOLBOX ~ BUT NOTHING MEANT MORE TO HIM THAN HIS FAMILY.”

Russell Wayne Foster, 81, of North Richland Hills, Texas, passed peacefully on February 22, 2026. Russell was born on June 3, 1944, in Schenectady, New York, to Orson and Doris Foster.

Russ spent his early childhood in New York before his family moved to Los Gatos, California when he was in the seventh grade. As a teenager, he attended the youth league at Faith Lutheran Church, where he met the love of his life, Roxie. From the moment he saw her, he affectionately called her “Pretty Blue Eyes.” They married in 1964 and built a life together that would span 61 devoted years.

Russ was a proud union plumber with Local 393 in California, a trade he truly loved. He took great pride in his work and in the skills of his craft. For six years, he owned and operated his own plumbing business in Hayden Lake, Idaho, where he and Roxie raised their young family after moving there in 1977. In 1983, they returned to California’s Bay Area. Later in life, Russ and Roxie moved to Texas to be closer to their daughter Becky and her husband Tim as they began their own family. In his later years, Russ lived at Atria in North Richland Hills, where he formed many dear friendships.

More than anything, Russ loved the open road. Traveling was his life’s dream, and he and Roxie eventually fulfilled it by living full-time in their motor home, traveling together across North America from Alaska to Nova Scotia. Russ especially loved his diesel-pusher motor home and the deep rumble of its engine as he drove beneath an overpass. Those years on the road brought him immense joy, adventure, and the freedom he had always dreamed about.

Russ had a lifelong love of anything mechanical. Motorcycles, tractors, tools, spark plugs, carburetors, tin knockers tape; if it could be fixed, built, or tinkered with, it fascinated him. He loved organizing, keeping things tidy, and understanding how things worked. He also had an affection for road maps and could happily spend hours studying them, planning routes and imagining the next journey.

He was also a voracious reader who read everything from cowboy novels to instruction manuals. Russ enjoyed explaining things and had a special talent for describing something multiple times in multiple ways until it made sense. Over the years, his family came to adore this about him.

Russ found comfort in routines and simple pleasures. Nightly showers, reading in bed with Roxie before falling asleep, and quiet evenings together were some of his happiest moments. Their love for one another was steady and constant, and they truly enjoyed doing everything together ~ reading, traveling, snuggling, and simply being side by side.

As a father, Russ was loving and devoted. During their Idaho years, he delighted in teaching his daughters to ride motorcycles and giving them rides in the scoop of his tractor. On rare and special occasions, he would gather the girls outside, light a cherry bomb, and throw it with a giant toss that seemed to soar a mile into the sky before exploding ~ a moment always followed by his unmistakable grin.

Russ had a calm and steady nature, but those who knew him well saw the quiet wit behind his thoughtful eyes. His humor was gentle and unexpected, often delivered with a small comment and a sparkle in his eye.

He was a man of deep loyalty who preferred a few lifelong friendships rather than a wide social circle. He worked hard throughout his life to provide for his family and lived modestly so that he could take care of those he loved. Russ treated others with kindness and respect and took a genuine interest in people he met along the way.

He also enjoyed simple favorites: black licorice, Roxie’s tacos, spaghetti and meatballs, and hot dogs—one of which was among his final meals. A visit to Wienerschnitzel was always a treat. His favorite song was “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses,” a fitting anthem for someone who loved the road as much as he did.

Russ is survived by his beloved wife of 61 years, Roxie Foster; his daughters, Kristin and Becky; and his cherished grandchildren, Alyssa, Lindsey, Magnolia, and Spencer.

Russ leaves behind a legacy of quiet strength, devotion to family, and a life built on hard work, curiosity, and love. His family finds comfort in knowing that he is with his Lord in heaven and finally at rest.

Those who knew and loved Russ will remember him in the rumble of a diesel engine on the open road, the careful turn of a wrench, the quiet joy of shared routines, and the steady love he gave his family every single day.

He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew him.