Glorene R. Foster

Glorene R. Foster, age 87, of Broken Bow, formerly of Kearney died Wednesday, December 22, 2010 at the Jennie M. Melham Memorial Medical Center in Broken Bow.Funeral Service will be Monday, December 27, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. at Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney with Father Jim Hunt officiating.Burial will follow at Kearney Cemetery.Visitation will be Sunday, December 26, 2010 from 2:00 ? 4:00 p.m. at Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney.Memorials are suggested to the family for designation at a later date.A message of condolence, tribute or memory can be left at www.hlmkfuneral.com. Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Service are in charge of arrangements. Glorene was born at her family's farm home north of Kearney on April 7, 1923, to William and Mary (Henning) Wenzlick.She was the sixth of eight children. Glorene's life read like a novel.As a child on the farm she often had to be rescued after climbing to the top of the windmill.Her primary chore was milking the cows.She lived through the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl and shared many stories of this difficult time, including being whisked up by an older brother and hurried into the cellar to escape the dust and dirt.She attended Hopewell School, north of Kearney.As a teenager, Glorene began singing and yodeling, as well as teaching herself to play the piano, mouth harp, saxophone and guitar.These musical talents allowed her to perform at local radio stations, church gatherings and barn dances under the name of "Gloria, Girl of the Hills".Her abilities were recognized by a Nashville talent scout who came to her family farm "to make her a star".Unfortunately, due to hard times on the farm, she could not leave to pursue this dream.At age 14, she left the farm to begin a job at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.During World War II Glorene went to Seattle, Washington to work on B 17 and B 25 bombers as a riveter and a bucker.After the war, she returned to Kearney and worked as a housekeeper. In 1948 she married Thomas Foster.To this union, two sons, John and William, were born. Glorene was later employed by Baldwin Filters in the returns department. She retired after 35 years.In 2005, she moved from her home in Kearney to Broken Bow, Nebraska, where she resided at Heritage Hall.It was here that she lived her final chapter. Survivors include sons, John Foster and wife Connie of Merna, Nebraska; William Foster and wife Connie of Moscow, Idaho; grandchildren, Shawn Foster of Seattle Washington; Kari Wells and husband Mitch of Axtell, Nebraska; Darin Foster and wife Jodi of Omaha, Nebraska; Tallah Foster of Spokane, Washington; great grandchildren Dylan Wells, Harper Wells and Cohen Foster, and many nieces and nephews. Glorene was preceded in death by her parents, brothers John and Edward Wenzlick, sisters Helena Triplett, Margaret Jordan, Gertrude Spears, Evelyn Miles, an Lois Gearhart, a sister in law, several brothers in law, nephew Richard Triplett and cousin, Alice Wenzlick. PDF Printable Version

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Glorene R. Foster

April 7, 1923 - December 22, 2010