James E Foust

James E. Foust, age 82, of Oak Ridge, TN, passed away Thursday, January 11.  James was preceded in death by his parents William (Bill) and Levada Foust, sister Mary Parks and brothers Lee Otis Foust and Elwood “Woody” Foust.  James is survived by wife of 58 years, Bonnie Aslinger Foust; Ronda and Von Perry of Rockwood; Sherry and Rick Thomason of Kingston; and grandchildren Nathaniel  (Eli) Stansberry and Skylar Thomason.  He is also survived by sisters Wilma Albert of Oak Ridge and Sheila Snodgrass of Knoxville.

James was born on April 28, 1941, in Lake City, TN.  After graduation from Lake City High School, James served in the U.S. Army in one of the last groups of enlisted men inducted under President John F. Kennedy.  Stationed in Fort Knox, KY, and Fort Leonard Wood, MO, James deployed to Thailand as a member of the 522d Engineering Company, 54th Infantry Division, working to build the Freedom Highway from Bangkok to the Laotian Border during the Vietnam War.  Following an honorable discharge, James married Bonnie Aslinger of Briceville, TN, December 14, 1965.  The couple lived in Fort Knox, KY, moving to Churchill, TN, after his honorable discharge from service.  James worked at Eastman Kodak in Kingsport, TN, for several years before moving back to Oak Ridge, TN and joining TVA Kingston Steam Plant as a heavy equipment operator.  He was a proud member of the International Union of Operating Engineers for over 30 years and retired from TVA in 1996.

James enjoyed daily walks at the local parks and Arboretum.  Animals, known to be great judges of character, found a true friend in James.  His kindness and compassion shone through in his love for critters, who enjoyed his company just as much as he enjoyed theirs.  He had a lifelong love of history and collected newspaper articles of local and historical interest for many, many years.  He enjoyed westerns, recounting that, as a boy, he once got to meet Gabby Hayes during a Saturday morning matinee.   James’s wry sense of humor and love of historical and movie trivia often led to hilarious discussions during many family gatherings.  His quiet strength, generous spirit, sense of humor and love of family is a legacy that will be cherished.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the nurses at Covenant Hospice.

Visitation: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, Sunday, January 28, 2024 at the Hatmaker Funeral Home in Lake City

Funeral Service: 3:00 PM, Sunday, January 28, 2024 in the Hatmaker Funeral Home Chapel with Chaplain Rev. Ginny Bridges Ireland officiating.

A graveside service will be held following the funeral service on Sunday, January 28, 2024 at the Sam Foust Cemetery in Lake City with Military Honors presented by the Honor Guard of Campbell County.