Keane Du Wayne Foster

Reverend Keane Du Wayne Foster, 80, died Monday, December 16, 2019 under the care of Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services at Benedictine Living Community; formerly of R5620 Meridian Road in Athens, WI and of 1919 Grand Avenue Schofield Wi. Born May 29, 1939 in Wausau, WI. The son of Archie Paul Foster and Martha Josephine Nahring.

While in school Keane worked as an usher at the Hollywood Theatre on Fourth Street in Wausau. Then as manager for the Hwy 29 Drive In Theatre in Schofield where the current Target shopping center is now located. While at the drive in theatre he was instrumental in running promotions that included “Spook Night Parties” and “Beach Parties”. He also worked with Rev. Vernon Dolde of Peace Church in Schofield by holding church services at the drive in theatre on Sunday mornings. He was also employed with Jonas Industries Inc, and the Jonas Gun Shop in Rib Mountain until June 1969. On June 1 1969 he joined Wausau Dodge Inc., on Grand Avenue in Wausau as their secretary/treasurer. He continued there joining as co-owner with the name change to Grand Central Dodge Inc. On April 1st 1980, Jerry Brickner Jr. joined forces with Keane as co-partners. The name was then changed a few years later to Brickner Chrysler center when they obtained the Chrysler franchise to add to the Dodge franchise. Keane retired from Brickner Chrysler Center in July 1997. He moved from Schofield to Athens in December 2005. This was a big change since Keane was a city person all of his life, but this was helped along due to his dedicated work with family history and the number of family members living in the area. He really enjoyed living in this new wide open space, with the kid in him coming out to enjoy playing with all the country toys. Being retired did not mean sitting at home. He was very active in various organizations, such as the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Auto Truck Education Association and the board of the Wausau Cemetery Association.

Keane’s christian life began as a teacher for adults and children in Christian Education Classes at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ Wausau which began in 1958. He was a lay minister at St. Paul’s and enjoyed giving scripture and prayer readings asking with presenting sermons. His plans were to further his ministry education to serve his church, family and friends. He was also active in the visitation ministry for the members of St. Paul’s. He enjoyed listening, praying, and reading to these special people. He always commented that people are so interesting. Keane often marveled at how the fear of talking in front of large groups of people when he was younger had changed, and he always thanked God for His spiritual direction in his life to speak freely before a large congregation. He took independent home study courses along with classes with the United Church of Christ lay Academy. This was a personal accomplishment of which he never wanted to gloat about. Keane received his certificate to be a Licensed Minister on December 8, 2011 with installation on January 22, 2012 at St. Paul’s. He had full capacity for all ministerial actions of the church. His ministry did not stop there. he expanded his faith direction at his home in Athens with the “Faith Ranch Ministries”. He took his oaths and commitments seriously. He knew he would always have to answer to a higher authority. He developed a chapel setting in his woods just west of his home. A special twenty foot cross was installed next to the chapel that came from a friend of his that obtained the cross from Trinity Church which had been removed for remodeling. On Good Friday 2009 Keane started his annual special Good Friday Services at his home with a walk to the cross in the woods. This was a special faith time for him and those that attended this service. Each year the attendance grew.

Keane was a Patrol Officer with the Wausau Emergency Police Unit and enjoyed serving that position working under the main Wausau Police Department. Keane was aggressive in ideas for the group to become better and be ready for the “what if’s” that could happen in the community. He was always there to help and always appreciated being of help to other officers and the people of the city of Wausau. He swore an oath and took that oath seriously. He immensely enjoyed going on “ride alongs” with the regular officers. This fulfilled a dream of being a part of the law enforcement program. He always wished he could go on more of those ride alongs. He was promoted to Corporal, Benevolent Chairperson, and Quarter Master. Keane was then promoted to Sergeant which took effect at the January 2010 Annual Banquet. Keane had once commented that after high school he wanted to get involved with working for the FBI as he would have enjoyed the investigations, such as paper crimes. Due to personal problems with family at home, this did not come to fruition.

Keane was a past member of the Wausau Jaycees, Noon Optimist Club, American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers, and a Life Member, Endowment Member, and Legion of Honor member of the National Rifle Association. He was also a member in the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society, the National Genealogical Society, the Marathon County Genealogical Society, and the South Area Business Association. Furthermore, he worked on the Schofield Centennial Fun Days 2004 Committee for budget and finance.

He was elected to the Dodge Dealer Council and a member of the Dodge Delta Sales Club. He was secretary/treasurer of the Wausau areas New Car Dealers Association (Feb 11, 1983- July 1997). He belonged to the Dodge Brothers Club, Walter P. Chrysler Restorers Club, Mopar Performance Club, Team dodge. He was also a member of the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War for his paternal great grandfather Nathum Cromwell and one for his maternal great grandfather Herman Nahring.

Keane was active in drag racing along with being instrumental in obtaining a new Daytona from Chrysler which was converted into a rear wheel drive vehicle and raced by Keane’s cousin Jim Reissman. Keane also tried his freedom in flying, obtaining his student license and accomplishing his solo flight and April 28, 1978 at the Wausau Municipal Airport in a Grumman American AA-1 aircraft being a member of the Private Fighter Pilot in the EEgie Squadron. He had his fun with owning motorcycles, snowmobiles, four wheelers, Go Karts, special RZR Polaris 4x4 and Polaris Ranger. Keane also liked shooting, from hand guns to rifles and shot guns. the only complaint he ever made was not getting in enough shooting with friends. Then there was the Gatling Gun that his brother in law Clement Olbrantz made for him. We also remember his vehicles (all Dodges of course) the R/T Nitro 4x4, the semi Ram 4x4 pick up, and is pride, a 1987 Daytona Shelby Turbo with inner cooler. He later had a Dodge Ram Caravan that was used for his church activities. Most recently he had a dark red 2013 Dodge Durango. He had a collection of special Dodges and models cars which are now lovingly in the hands of family and friends. He enjoyed the car business and was so happy being able to have demo vehicles that were available to him over the years.

Keane liked animals and had a special dog companion around while growing up. He even liked the wild ones on his property, including the deer, foxes, and bears.

He was involved with family genealogy on both sides of the family. Some records he had traced back to 1600 Germany with over 750 family names in the listings. he was instrumental in having an annual family reunion each year which he started in July 1998. He was recognized for his efforts at family reunion with a Five Year Certificate from the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society in August of 2002. Due to his personal genealogy work, he was instrumental in setting up a Genealogy Club for St. Paul’s United Church of Christ and being asked to make presentations for other organizations. He won first place out of a class of 28 with his entry for 2004 with Walter P Chrysler photo meet with his 1987 Flash Red Dodge Shelby Z with only 9,997 miles.

While working with Chrysler, Keane had his original training with Chrysler Marketing Investment. He passed on the opportunity to work for Chrysler Corporation in the Marketing Investment Division due to the amount of travel that would have taken him away from home. He was a member of Chrysler’s honor society of Accountants and Chrysler Management Development. He obtained numerous awards including several of Chryslers Five Star Awards, Service professionals Awards, the Pentastar awards for Excellence. He was given many Chrysler trips including his ten day trip to Australia which he talked about often. One accomplishment that he was very proud of was that of bringing Brickner Chrysler Center to be number six in their group in the nation of dealers with the highest service absorption. This was an honor showing customer satisfaction along with business expense control and profitability.

 Keane was a very dedicated individual toward his career with Chrysler and with the dealer people with Wausau Dodge, Grand Central Dodge, and with the Brickner family. He was proud to be co-owner with Jerry Brickner Junior. Keane thought very highly of his many friends, as they were very important to him and tried to help them out in any way possible. Keane had many friends, and he always welcomed more.

Keane always stated that God gave us life to enjoy. In one of his sermons which was based on the reading from the Gospel of John 10:10 “I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly.” It is so true. Take hold and enjoy what God’s offering you. So take a lesson from Keane, and take hold and enjoy what God is offering you.

Survivors include his sisters, Lorraine Olbrantz, Wausau and Marlene Fleming, Florida; and 15 nieces and nephews.

Besides his parents he was preceded in death by a brother, Gordon Foster, sister, Ruth Lewis, brothers-in-law, Walter "Jack" Lewis, Clem Olbrantz and James Fugerer.

Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Friday, December 20, 2019 at Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 1302 Sixth St., Wausau.  Rev. Teri Hanson will officiate.  Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery, Wausau.  Visitation will be Friday 12:30 p.m.  until the time of services all at the Sixth Street funeral home.

A complete obituary can be viewed at www.petersonkraemer.com