Foster Johns, Jr.

Foster Matthew Johns, Jr. went peacefully to the Lord on November 3 at Christwood Retirement Community in Covington, Louisiana at the age of 102. He was predeceased by the love of his life and wife of 76 years, Elmire Hancock Johns.  Foster and Elmire were lifelong residents of New Orleans until moving to Christwood in 2005.

Foster was the son of Olga Caroline Wenck and Dr. Foster Matthew Johns Sr. of New Orleans. He attended New Orleans Academy and Tulane University, and he served in the United States Coast Guard during World War II.  Following the War he returned to New Orleans where he began a long career in sales including many years at WDSU Television. He was a member of the Southern Yacht Club, The Pickwick Club and Crillo Club.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his two sisters, Olga Johns Edwards and Louise Johns Roth.

Foster is survived by his two children, Foster Matthew “Duke” Johns, III (J.J.) of Metairie, Louisiana and Lissa Johns Noel (Randy) of Memphis, Tennessee. He leaves  five grandchildren: Sarah Jane Johns and Elizabeth Anne Johns of New Orleans, Foster Matthew Johns, IV of Ann Arbor Michigan, Lauren Noel Jones (Walt) of Fort Worth, Texas, and Randall Walker Noel (Allison) of Nashville, Tennessee.

Foster has five great grandchildren, including two namesakes: Parke Lee Jones, William Randall Jones and Triplett Foster Jones of Fort Worth, and Randall Walker Noel, Jr. and Theodore Foster Noel of Nashville.

For many years Foster enjoyed duck hunting, fishing, boating, and his regular rounds of golf. His love of the outdoors extended to gardening and all things home improvement. He always had a project whether it was constructing a brick patio, adding a guest room/office or planting a vegetable garden.  He was quite the gin rummy player at the Pickwick Club.

Foster Johns was a good and honorable man and a gentlemen.  He was affectionately known by his grandchildren and great grandchildren as Peeps, and he was beloved by them and by many, particularly his Christwood family of the last 15 years.  He took great pleasure in dining weekly on raw oysters and spending time outside in the butterfly garden, and on most days he could be found at 5 o’clock with his toddy in hand and a warm, endearing twinkle in his eye.  He will be dearly missed.

The family will have a private celebration of Foster’s life at a later date.  Any memorials should be made to Christwood Community Employee Fund or a charity of the donor’s choice.