Richmond Times-dispaTch FRiday, augusT 11, 2017 B5

John Foster, WWII bombardier

MILLER, Roy Glenn Sr., PEARSON, John
born January 2, 1943 to the Strother, 92, of Richmond, Ronald, 77, of Burkeville,
late Irir and Lessie Miller, Va., passed away August 5, passed away, Wednesday,
husband to Elaine Miller;
2017. Born in Keysville, he
father to Artis Patterson, was the son of the late
Valerie Russell (Darryl), Roy William Lee and Mary
Miller Jr. (Kimberly), Don Winslow Pearson. Mr.
Watford; four Pearson was a graduate of
grandchildren; one brother, Randolph-Henry High
Irir Miller Jr. (Rebecca). School, Charlotte
Remains rest at Mimms Courthouse, and the Traffic County. His family and
Funeral Home, 1827 Hull Institute of Northwestern
Street. A memorial service University. He was
will be held at Broomfield preceded in death by his
CME Church, 609 Jefferson wife of 45 years, Nancy
Davis Highway, Richmond, Ingle Pearson; and his
Virginia at 1 p.m. on granddaughter, Brandi Derr. Surviving are his wife of 55
Saturday, August 12, 2017. He is survived by two
Please assemble at the
daughters, Debbie Derr
church by 12:30 p.m. (Frank) and Beth Pearson;
Interment private. granddaughter, Beth Anne
Derr; and great-
granddaughter, Darrah
Davis. Mr. Pearson served
for 38 years with the
Virginia State Police,
retiring as a Lieutenant
Colonel. He then served six years of service; he loved
years as Executive Director his work. Howard was a
of the Virginia Association
of Chiefs of Police. During
his retirement, he enjoyed
his involvement with the
Lions Club, the Eighth Air
Force Historical Society and from the chapel of Jennings- turned home to work in
MUNFORD, Robert L.
Jr., known for his business the 457th Bomb Group
Association. He was a
as "MUNFORDS TV
member of River Road
SERVICE" and for his expert
skills in HVAC and Church, Baptist. In lieu of
Appliance Repair with flowers, contributions may
"SEARS," Robert L. Munford be made to the American
Jr. passed after a long Heart Association or the
illness on Thursday, May American Diabetes
25, 2017. Roberts passing Association. The family will at the funeral home.
was at the tender age of receive friends on Saturday, Donations may be made to
64. He was born May 13, August 12, at 1 p.m.,
1953 to parents, Robert L. followed by a 2 p.m.
Munford Sr. and Sarah service, at the Parham
Munford and was the Chapel, Woody Funeral
Home, 1771 N. Parham Rd.,
oldest of five siblings. He
leaves behind his devoted Richmond. Interment will
follow in Westhampton
wife of 40 years of love,
Memorial Park.
Arline F. Munford; his two
children, Monique S. and
Robert L. Munford III; his
stepchildren, Nita M.,
George S. Jr., Leanda F. and
Joseph N. Wright; a
SHELTON, Elliot Craig,
surviving sibling, Cynthia departed this life August 7, 75, of Hopewell, Va., went
Munford-Porter; a devoted 2017. Remains rest with
nephew known as "Ebey"; Owens Funeral Service
and devoted best friends, (Ashland). Funeral services 2017. He was born July 21,
Charles Parham and David are private. Full obituary
T. Cuthrell; a host of aunts, and online condolences at
uncles, cousins, nieces, www.owensfuneralservices.com .
nephews, friends and
associates. He was well-
known and will be equally
missed by all. A graveside
service and repast will be
held on August 12, 2017, 11
a.m., at the Oakwood
Cemetery, located 3101
Nine Mile Road, Richmond, TAYLOR, Wayland
Va. 23223. Junior "Junie," of Maidens,
Va., departed this life to be
with the Lord on
Wednesday, August 9,
2017, at St. Marys Hospital.
He was born August 4,
1948, in Manakin-Sabot, Va.
to the late Wayland N. and
Gladys S. Taylor. Junie was
educated in the Goochland
County Public Schools. He
joined Jerusalem Baptist
Church at an early age. He
was employed at several
companies during the early
SHAW, Harold LeRoy, years, including Keels
94, of Henrico, passed
Florist (Stranges), Holly
away peacefully on August Farms (Tyson), Southern
3, 2017. He was preceded in States, AB Taylors
death by his parents,
Trucking and Dwight Snead
George and Annie Shaw;
Trucking. He leaves to
and three brothers, George, cherish his memory his
ONeil and Warren. He is
devoted sister, Joyce Taylor
survived by his wife of 72
Joyner; nephew, Jonathan
years, Isabelle B. Shaw; and Joyner; six uncles, four
WALKER, Howard
August 9, 2017, at his
home. Born September 8,
1939 in Blount County,
Tenn., he was a son of the
late Lewis Clay and Opha
Brickey Walker. Howard
grew up in Cumberland
friends were his greatest
joy. He was preceded in
death by a sister, Mary
Ellen Cerveny; and a
brother, Brickey Walker.
years, Betty Frances Jones
Walker; three sisters, Lois
Mae Baber of
Mechanicsville, Anna Bella
Mayer of Palmyra, Marjorie hem, a city on the eastern
Walker White of Cleveland, side of the Netherlands.
N.C.; and a brother, William
(Jean) Walker of Sandston.
Howard retired from Luck
Stone in Burkeville with 35
loved uncle by his many
nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be
conducted 12 noon
Saturday, August 12, 2017,
McMillian Funeral Home &
Cremation Service, 200 W.
Carolina Ave., in Crewe.
Interment will follow in
Sunset Hill Cemetery in
Burkeville. The family will
receive friends beginning at membered at a memorial
11 a.m. until time of service service today, Friday, at
Sandy Creek Baptist
Church, 25450 E. Saylers
Creek Rd., Jetersville, Va.
23083 or Hospice of
Virginia, 202 Clark St.,
Farmville, Va. 23901. Online
condolences at
jennings-mcmillianfuneralhome.com . Wright, who also is his ex-
Arrangements are in the
care of Jennings-McMillian
Funeral Home & Cremation
Service, Crewe.
WHITLEY, Joel David,
home to be with the Lord
on Wednesday, August 9,
1942, at his home in
Suffolk, Va., and was the
son of the late Joel William
and Ruby Foster Whitley.
David was a United States
Navy veteran. He was a
retired labor leader,
representing the Teamsters
Local Union 101 as
President and Principal
Officer. He also served as
the Joint Council 83 State
of Virginia President,
Secretary Treasurer and
Principal Officer. He was
recognized for being a
strong, effective Labor
Leader, a job he loved very
deeply during his 3S year
career. He had great
concern for the working
men and women and also
the elderly. After retiring,
he served several times as
President of Cobblestone
Property Owners
Association Inc. He is
survived by his wife, the
love of his life, Betty
Weston Whitley; daughter,
Linda Traina and her
husband, Charles (Jinx);
grandson, S. Blake Traina
and his wife, Jennifer; great-
grandson, David; siblings,
Sidney W. Langston,
and businessman, dies at age 96
By ELLEN ROBERTSON
Richmond Times-dispatch
Twenty-three-year-old
Johnny Foster left his
studies at Virginia Tech
on April 1, 1944, and vol-
unteered for the Army Air
Forces during World War II,
hoping to become a pilot.
After training in three
states, the AAF sent him
to England to serve as a
bombardier with a B-17
Flying Fortress. His out-
t was the 18th Bomb
Squadron, 34th Bomb
Group, 8th Air Force,
based at Mendlesham,
near Ipswich, Suffolk.
Flying in an aircraft
dubbed the Bottoms Up,
he ew his rst mission
Sept. 17, 1944, over Arn-
Every time they went
out, they thought they
were going to die, said
his longtime friend Donna
Wright. They thought
they would not come back.
There always was great joy
when they got back.
Mr. Foster, who ew 30
bombing missions and re-
the electrical supply eld,
died Aug. 3 at his Glen
Allen home after a period
of failing health.
The 93-year-old Rich-
mond native will be re-
1 p.m. at St. Giles Presby-
terian Church, 5200 Grove
Ave. in Richmond, where
he had been a deacon, an
elder and a tireless volun-
teer for 42 years.
In all of the group, they
only lost one plane, said
ecutrix. The co-pilot was
one of his best friends.
They had become good
friends on the base.
As his plane went
down, Johnnys friend
looked over at him and
waved goodbye.
Every time theyd lose
somebody, theyd go,
Why not me? Johnny still
felt guilty about Why him
and not me?
WOODS, Herbert A.,
passed away peacefully on
August 8, 2017. He was
preceded in death by his
parents, Fred and Ida
Woods; and four siblings,
Joyce Kelly, Margaret Rush,
Russell and Billy Woods. He
is survived by his lifelong
partner of 22 years,
Madeline "Cookie"
Davenport; and his brother,
Louis Woods of New Kent; a
special cousin, Evelyn C.
Woods; and several other
cousins and special
nephews. He leaves his
The family and trying to nd
34th Bomb a lake or pond to sh in
Group, when his days studies and
which work were done. He was
helped set a loyal UR alumnus to the
the stage end, Wright said.
For many years, he was
for D-Day
Mr. Foster and sup- a salesman who traveled
ported Al- for Graybar Electric Inc.
lied ground forces as they Later, a friend formed
moved into Germany, an electrical supply com-
concentrated on strategic pany, Philip Martini Asso-
targets from October 1944 ciates in Annapolis, Md.,
to February 1945. Targets and pulled in John Foster
included marshaling yards as his partner.
in Ludwigshafen, Hamm, Phil had a boat and
Osnabrck and Darm- they would take the In-
stadt; oil centers in Biele- tracoastal Waterway from
feld, Merseburg, Hamburg Richmond to Florida and
and Misburg; factories in come back. They would
sh along the way and
Berlin, Dalteln and Han-
nover; and airelds in nd a place to play golf,
Munster, Neumunster and Wright said. Mr. Foster re-
Frankfort, according to the tired in 1996.
8th Air Force Historical An avid golfer, he had
Societys website. spent hours at the Hermit-
In the air, Mr. Fos- age and Richmond coun-
ter, bundled in layers of try clubs, where he had
clothes under his uniform been a member.
to ght subzero tempera- He also had a small
tures at high altitudes, sat shing cabin on the Pi-
on an ammunition box ankatank River outside of
and manipulated the Nor- Cobbs Creek and loved to
den bomb site. sh at Nags Head, N.C.
He kept a list of the Johnny didnt talk
Bottoms Up missions, about (his war experi-
and noted that he spent ences) until the last few
Christmas Eve 1944 on a years, when he met Jayson
bombing run to Frankfort. Brown, a young researcher
who collected World War
During one aborted
mission, his B-17 ew over II artifacts, Wright said.
East Prussia and had to For several years, the
land at an air base in the two men went to fth-
Soviet Union. grade classes in Henrico,
In his effects, Wright Powhatan and Hanover
said, we found a paper counties and talked to stu-
that was given to all dents about Mr. Fosters
the airmen in case they experiences until he was
landed in Russia. It had unable to so. A lot of chil-
patches with American dren never had heard of
ags they would put on World War II, Wright said.
their (pant) legs and uni- Johnny got a lot of
forms and instructions thank-you notes from
children. One child got so
in Russian on how to say
I am an American. He interested, he wrote that
kept it in a frame. he had looked up informa-
The Russians wined tion about World War II.
and dined them, made Another got so interested
them feel welcome and in airplanes and how they
made sure they had a good traveled during the war
place to stay, Wright said. that he had gone to the li-
In the morning, the Rus- brary to look at all planes
sians lled up their (gas) own in World War II.
tank and the (Bottoms Up) The Library of Congress
ew back to England. taped Mr. Fosters war
He ew his last mis- experiences. He greatly
sion March 26, 1945, over enjoyed an Honor Flight
Dlmen, Germany. He re- with other veterans to see
turned to Richmond with the World War II Memo-
an Air Medal with four oak rial in Washington and
leaf clusters and was dis- the Air Force Museum.
charged in November. By that time, he was in a
While he was overseas, wheelchair.
Mr. Foster had been en- Johnny and I once
gaged to a woman in West went to an air show in
Virginia. However, after Norfolk where they had
returning home, he fell a plane just like the one
in love with the woman Johnny had own in and
he eventually married on were offering rides in it. I
Aug. 22, 1945. asked him, Johnny, dont
Beth Eatons mother you want to take a ride?
went with Johnny on the He said, No. I never want
train to West Virginia to get in another one.
(when he went) to break Mr. Foster was the wid-
the engagement, Wright ower of Elisabeth Beth
said. Eaton Foster, who died in
He used the GI Bill to 2002. A son, John R. Foster
complete his education he III, also preceded him in
had started earlier at North death.
Carolina State and Virginia Survivors include his
Tech this time as a busi- 103-year-old sister, Anne J.
ness major at the Univer- Foster of Richmond.
sity of Richmond, working
erobertson@timesdispatch.com
odd jobs to support his (804) 649-6115

Richmond police search

his sister, Lorene Gibson; Michael F. Whitley and his longtime work partner of
aunts and a host of cousins, 63 years, Johnny Rigsby. He
and many nephews and wife, Connie, Cathy W.
other relatives and friends. is survived by his extended
nieces. Lee and Issie had a Hackett and her husband,
for suspects in theft from
His remains rest at the family, Jennifer and Ray
storybook love that Jim; sister-in-law, Naomi
Robert Mealy Funeral Jensen; their children; and
transcended time. Lee Mullins and her husband,
Home, Goochland, Va., his grandchildren, Stephen
Carytown jewelry store
began his career as a City Bob; nieces, Terri Robinson,
where the family will and Madison Jensen. Also
of Richmond Surveyor. He Traci Hackley and her
receive family and friends surviving are his children,
then became owner of husband, Glenn, Amanda
from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Bobby, Lori and Cindi; six
Blands store until Elgin and her husband,
Friday, August 11, 2017 grandchildren and two The Richmond Police
becoming Office Manager Jamie, Amy Taylor and her
(tonight). Funeral services great-grandchildren. He
for J.S. Bland Jr. Fuel Oil, will be held at 2 p.m. on
husband, Ryan, Laura Department is seeking the
and then in later years Johnson and her husband, worked for Hyman Brothers publics help in identify-
Saturday, August 12, 2017, for 41 years and Patrick
Sales Representative for Brent; nephews, Marcus ing two people who are
at Jerusalem Baptist Buick GMC for 22 years.
Bradley Inc. until his Hackett, Danny Basl and suspected in a July theft in
Church, 994 Three Chopt The service will be held 11
retirement in 1987. Lee was Road, Manakin-Sabot, Va. Fred Basl; plus many Carytown.
a member of Varina extended family members a.m. Monday, August 14,
Rev. Emmanuel Harris 2017, at Blileys-Central, About 2 p.m. on Sun-
Masonic Lodge #272 and a officiating. Interment and close friends too day, July 23, a man and a
Virginia Aeronautical numerous to mention. The 3801 Augusta Avenue,
church cemetery.
family will receive friends 4 where the family will woman entered the Rich-
Historical Society
to 6 p.m. Sunday, August receive friends one hour mond Jewelers at 3419 W.
enthusiast. As a sports
lover, he was a devoted IN MEMORIAM 13, 2017, at J.T. Morris prior. Interment will be Cary St. Richmond policE dEpaRtmEnt

Richmond Spiders fan. As a Funeral Home of Hopewell, private. According to surveil-

CLAUDETTE L. TAYLOR lance video, the couple wearing glasses, a red T-
true gentleman with a kind Va., where a funeral service
10/27/44 - 8/11/15
soul, Lee warmed many Two years today shes been will be held 2 p.m. Monday, IN MEMORIAM spend a few minutes shirt and a dark-colored
peoples hearts; his gone. Mom, we miss you and August 14, 2017. The speaking with a store em- baseball hat.
outgoing personality and we think of you each day that service will be conducted WARD - P. LEE ployee. At one point, the Anyone with informa-
helpful demeanor enriched goes by. by longtime friend Mr. Jerry woman turns to the side tion about this incident is
the lives of others. He was Belinda, Kenya and Ky Hays. Interment will be and takes the jewelry. The asked to call Detective E.
a man of wisdom and private. Condolences may type of jewelry taken was Sandlin at (804) 646-1010
ethical principles whose be registered at not specied. or Crime Stoppers at (804)
actions were always www.jtmorriss.com. Police said both sus- 780-1000.
unselfish and never self- pects are white and You can also contact
serving. A service will be Celebrating Life thought to be 35 to 40 Crime Stoppers by going
held in his honor at St.
years old. The female sus- online to www.7801000.
Johns Episcopal Church,
2319 E. Broad St., on
Ten long years since you went pect had her hair pulled com or sending a text
to Heaven. Time has not taken back and was wearing a message to 274637, using
Saturday, August 19, at 2 the pain away. It hurts more
p.m. In lieu of flowers, MEMORIAL COMPANY
dark gray T-shirt and a the keyword iTip fol-
each day. Will always love you
contributions may be made FULL SERVICE MONUMENT DEALER and miss you with all my heart. long, light-colored skirt. lowed by the tip.
to the Lackey Clinic, 1620 804-648-2911 Youre the greatest son a Police described the male
suspect as having dark
All Crime Stoppers
methods are anonymous.
Old Williamsburg Rd., CELEBRATING 50 YEARS mother could have.
Yorktown, Va. 23690-3910. boothmemorial.com Love, Mother hair and a beard; he was Briana Ellison