Ted Foster

Service for Ted Foster will be 10:00a.m., Thursday, August 4, 2016 at the First Assembly of God Church in Chelsea, Okla; Pastor Alan Dunn will share words of comfort. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery, in Claremore, under the direction of Chelsea Funeral Home & Cremation Service. Friends may visit at the funeral home on Wednesday, August 3 from 1p.m.—8p.m., family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m.
Ted passed from this life on Sunday, July 31, 2016, at the age of 79.
Ted was the son of Ray and Georgia Bell (Hendricks) McCall, and was born October 25, 1936, in Claremore, Oklahoma. He attended elementary school at Condry, a one-room schoolhouse. At the age of 9, he moved with his family to Jal, New Mexico, where he would attend Jal public schools until his graduation from high school in 1954. Ted played high school football at Jal, and then went on to play for the University of New Mexico Lobos. It was while in high school that he met Charlotte Teeples. They were married on March 26, 1954, in Roswell, NM. They celebrated 62 years of marriage this year.
After graduating from the University of New Mexico, Ted taught school and coached at Washington Junior High School in Albuquerque, NM, for three years. Wanting a head coaching position, he left Albuquerque for Santa Rosa, NM, where he taught and coached for two years. While there, his teams won two district championships in both football and track. The next year found him in Durango, CO, as the assistant football coach and head track coach. During that time, Durango High track team won the state championship and set a state scoring record that still stands. While at Durango, Ted began to dabble in radio at KIUP radio and KOB radio, first as a spotter, and then as a game announcer.
After twelve years of teaching, Ted had the opportunity to work in radio full time, where he built the FM station KRSJ and then he was named Vice President and General Manager of Radio San Juan, Inc. Ted eventually became part owner of these stations. In 1978, Mutual Radio Network offered Ted a job heading up their new Southwest Radio Network, headquartered in Dallas, TX. Mutual Radio Network broadcasted Dallas Cowboys football games on Sundays, and SW Conference games on Saturdays.
On July 16, 1978, Ted and Charlotte lost their oldest son to a car accident. Subsequently, Ted sold his interest in the Durango radio stations to former President Gerald Ford and Mr. Firestone, of Firestone Tires. Ted and Charlotte then returned to their roots in Oklahoma, first in Claremore, and eventually settling in Chelsea. After taking a year off, Ted again began teaching and coaching at Chelsea High School. After a year in Chelsea, he took a job coaching football, basketball, and track at Claremore Sequoyah High School. One year of triple duty was enough for Ted. From his second year on, he concentrated his efforts on coaching football and teaching in the classroom. His teams won three District Championships in five years. Ted’s favorite class to teach was the Personal Development Class, which was very popular with the students. For years after retiring, students and players alike would come by and thank him for the life lessons he had taught them, one student called such teachings “The Fosterisms of Life”.
In 1996, Ted decided to “retire”. In his retirement Ted started, operating a cattle ranch, a mini storage business, and also forming Tedco Properties LLC, which contracted to renovate and build houses within the entire Cherokee Nation. He maintained this business until his death.
Ted served his community on the city council, the Chamber of Commerce, the Chelsea Historical Society, the Cherokee Heritage Association, and was also on the Board of Directors of the Grand Gateway Foundation. Anything that Ted attempted, he succeeded at, due to his diligence and hard work, and also the blessings of God. His biggest attribute of all was his generosity. He was often found quietly giving and helping those in need.
Whenever Ted had any spare time, he enjoyed traveling, fishing, and playing golf. He also enjoyed the Friday jam sessions with his friends at the Senior Citizens Center. Most of all, he treasured time spent with family. He enjoyed taking family cruises. He was a great husband, father, grandfather, and provider.
Ted is survived by his wife Charlotte of the home, his son, David Lynn Foster and daughter-in-law Tina Marie Foster, and grandchildren, David Lee Foster and his wife Heejung , Tiffani Quarles, and Austen Nelms, great-grandson, Oliver Prince Foster, sisters, Billie Sue Jones, Elsie Chapman and husband Johnny, brothers, Jackie McCall and wife Sara, Homer McCall and wife Beverly, and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ray and Georgia McCall, and son, Ted Foster, III.