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Bill Foreman, resident of Ponca City, Oklahoma, passed away Sunday, July 31, 2016 in Ponca City, Oklahoma at the age of 89.
Funeral services will be 10:00 am Thursday, August 4, 2016 at Trout Funeral Home Chapel with Chaplain Tom Howard officiating, burial will follow in Riverview Cemetery in Arkansas City, Kansas.
Bill was born to Minnie and Harvey Foreman in Muskogee, OK on March 17 of 1927. Shortly thereafter the family moved to Sasakwa, OK where Harvey was employed in the oil field. Bill went to schools at Muskogee, OK and graduated from Muskogee High School in 1945. At age 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy at Sasakwa, OK on May 2 of 1945. Bill completed his boot camp training at the San Diego Training Center.
He was aboard ship and out to sea when the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. His ship immediately headed toward Hiroshima. Upon arriving at the port in Hiroshima all hands performed duties in conjunction with our war effort. His ship also went to Guam and Eniwetok, as well as patrolled the area because the Japanese had many submarines and were not aware that Japan had surrendered so they were still fighting in a lot of those areas.
While in Tokyo and Guam, he saw many sad things, but so many good things as well. Americans were treating and feeding the sick and injured and administering aid to the dying no matter what their race or politics were. Their landing craft became homes to the homeless. The naval boys stayed on the beach and let the homeless and sick stay on their boats so they could receive the care they needed. They were treated with American medicine, American doctors and staff, and American compassion. Bill was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1946 with the rank of Fireman First Class, V-6.
While in the Navy, Bill was aboard the USS ATA 215 after going by ship to Guam. Then he served aboard the USS LST #34. Rankings held were A5, S2C,F20, FLC. He was awarded the American Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, and the Victory Medal.
Bill Foreman came from humble beginnings, but achieved great things. He never forgot these humble beginnings and was grateful for everyday no matter what it may bring. He treated everyone he met fairly and was known to give everyone a chance. He put many to work that had no experience, but hired them because they needed a job and it was the right thing to do.
He hunted and fished before and after school to feed his mother, father, sister, and little brother. He ran three miles to school and back until he got a horse. He would fish and hunt and sold the hides to make extra money and saved until he could buy his horse. He sure took good care of his horse. He wanted to play football and baseball so he rode his horse so he could get to practice on time. He played baseball in the minor league for the Paul's Valley team which was a branch of the Cardinals. Bill injured his shoulder and that ended his baseball career. He loved the ethics of the West. The cowboy who did a day's work and took care of the animals he came in contact with, and the frontier family that braved the elements just to have a piece of land to call their own. He respected the Native Americans and called them "The Original Keepers of the Land". He respected women and his word was his bond. Bill lived by these words: "Finish what you start, be tough, but be fair, do your best."
Bill went to college at Ada, OK then he went to work in the oil fields and honed his trade. Bill worked in the oil fields with skills unparalleled by many when there weren't any modern conveniences. He saw the need to modernize and make working conditions better and safer for the oil folks. So he brought the latest and the greatest equipment available to his employees and shared this knowledge with other workers and friends. He opened his own business, Mudco, in Colorado. His company supplied the mud for oil drillers. He had 90 employees and 15 trucks. Upon retiring after 25 years in the oil business, Bill got a boat and just "went fishing". His love for fishing was only surpassed by his love for his wife Sandy, family members, and his many friends.
Bill looked forward to his Friday night poker game with his buddies. He loved to go to Clyde's Riverbridge Café and have some "good country cooking" and see his buddies. He knew everyone in the restaurant. Bill was known for his friendliness to everyone.
Bill is survived by his wife Sandra Foreman, children: Bennet Foreman, Melinda Blunt and Brent, Kevin Leach and Christy, Shelly Creeden, and husband Kyle, sister-in-law: Marjorie Foreman, brother-in-law: Ed Bacak, grand children: Michael, Tiffany, Melanie and husband Jeffery, Travis and Jessica, and Kieran, Aedan, Devin, and Christian, Great grandchildren: Kaden, Ian, Megan, Amber, and numerous nephews, nieces and other family members, and friends. You all meant so much to him. Bill was "Uncle Bill" and "Grandpa Bill" to many and he loved them all.
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