Foster S. Cronyn

On February 15, 2014, Foster S. Cronyn, CPCU, lost his battle with congestive heart failure.  Foster was born on February 23rd, 1924 at Walter Reed Hospital to Master Sergeant Foster and Elizabeth Cronyn. He was a 1941 graduate of Clover Park High School in Lakewood, WA.  He went on to graduate from Boise Junior College before joining the Army in 1943. He proudly served with the 324th Regiment, 44th Infantry Division in France where he earned a Purple Heart, and was awarded the Distinguished-Service Cross for extraordinary heroism in battle.  After the war, he attended the University of Washington, graduating with a BA in 1948.  On campus he met the love of his life, Patricia Jean Davie, and they were married in August, 1952.  Foster earned his CPCU in 1961, and spent more than 30 years with Unigard Insurance, retiring in 1983 as the Vice President of Public Relations. Not one to sit idle too long, he began his own Legislative Consulting business in 1984.

Foster was always active in the lives of his 4 children, volunteering time with the Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, spending 3 years as the Scoutmaster of troop 457 on Mercer Island.  He loved the outdoors and was an avid skier.  Winter weekends found the family at Crystal Mountain, Stevens Pass, Snoqualmie or riding the rope tows at Paradise on Mt. Rainier. He sailed, canoed, kayaked and camped throughout the Pacific Northwest. In quiet times he was always reading a good book or writing his own poems.

Foster and Pat spent their golden years traveling through Europe, Canada, all around the U.S., with numerous trips to Cabo St Lucas, where he always ate shrimp. They joined friends to build homes in Guatemala with Habitat for Humanity.  He was an active member of the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church. History was a strong interest and he researched NW Native culture and traveled most of the Lewis and Clark route.

Foster is preceded in death by his parents and is survived by his wife Patricia, daughters Maurene (Joe Albert) and Janene (Dermott Gilmartin), sons Foster (Mary Beth) and Matthew (Sam), and his loving grandchildren Heather, Shannon, Andrea, Sean, Foster, Clare, Reilly, Julia and Connor and great-grandson Rilyn. He also leaves behind brother-in-law Dr. Earl Davie (Anita) and their family.

Services will be held on March 29th, at the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Donations may be made in his honor to the National Park Service, or to your favorite charity.