William B. "Bill" Foster, 86, died Feb. 25, 2008, at Thorne Care Center, Hutchinson.

He was born Jan. 7, 1922, in Abbyville, the son of Max and Ailene McIver Foster. He graduated in 1940 from Abbyville High School and attended Hutchinson Community College. A Reno County resident all of his life, living most of his life in the Abbyville community, moving to Hutchinson in 1995, he was a farmer and stockman in Abbyville.

He belonged to the Abbyville Community Church, Abbyville Senior Center, Air Capital Chapter of X-POWs, Wichita, DAV, American Legion Lysle Rishel Post No. 68, the 362nd Fighter Group, Ninth Air Force, and was a life member of the National Ex-POWs. He served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II, serving in the European Theater as a P-47 fighter pilot, who was shot down and held in a German prisoner of war camp.

On April 6, 1947, he married Beulah E. Dunn in Abbyville. She survives.

Other survivors include: three daughters, Cassie Grissom and husband, Randy, Belle Plaine, Sally Young and husband, Tom, El Dorado, and Janet Crandall and husband, Curtis, Little River; seven grandchildren and their spouses, Tami and Ken Patrick, Peck, Stephanie and Kyle Lindsay, Van Buren, Ark., James Young, Leon, Bill and Dacia Young, El Dorado, Matt and Marisa Young, Lakeland, Ga., Amy and Derrick Herzog, Geneseo, and Jessica and Derrick Ploutz, Sublette; and 15 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Darrel, a sister, Gayle Waddle and a great-grandson.

Funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Abbyville Community Church, with Pastor Keith A. Dellenbach presiding. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today at Elliott Mortuary, Hutchinson, with the family present from 5 to 7 p.m. Burial will be in Abbyville Cemetery with military graveside rites conducted by McConnell Air Force Base.

Memorials may be sent to Wesley Towers or the Abbyville Community Church, both in care of the funeral home.

Personal condolences may be sent to www.elliottmortuary.com.