Buddy Foster's family grew accustomed to his being called out of bed to go to work.
After all, he was an arson investigator for the DeKalb County Fire Department. His job was to determine the causes and origins of fires. Mr. Foster, who became an investigator on the tail end of a decades-long firefighting career, embraced the role.
"The hardest part of investigating a structure fire is that there is nothing but black charred wood and plastic," said a nephew, Forsyth County Fire Chief Danny Bowman.
"Everything looks the same. I will forever be amazed at those individuals like Lt. Foster who aspire to be arson detectives. The way they determine the cause of a fire is beyond me. They are at the top of the game."
On Saturday, Joseph F. "Buddy" Foster died from complications of Alzheimer's disease at Metropolitan Hospice in Marietta. He was 89. A graveside service is scheduled for 1 p.m. today in the Ephesus Baptist Church Cemetery in Villa Rica. Roy Davis Funeral Home in Austell is in charge of arrangements.
In the 1940s, Mr. Foster joined the U.S. Army and during World War II was assigned to the 543rd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment. The unit supported amphibious operations in the South Pacific. After an honorable discharge in 1945, he returned to Atlanta, his home.
He worked in construction for an uncle before he decided to become a firefighter. In 26 years, he worked out of practically every DeKalb station and spent the last eight or so years of his career investigating fires.
In 1968, Forsyth County Chief Bowman joined Mr. Foster at the DeKalb fire department, where his uncle became his mentor.
"I may be prejudiced, but of all the 1,000s of firefighters I worked with in 42 years, I have never known anyone else in fire services who represented the professionalism like Lt. Foster," the chief said. "He represented firefighters in an outstanding manner."
Mr. Foster retired in 1981. He and his wife traveled and relaxed at a time-share in Destin, Fla. He belonged to the Yaarab Shrine of Atlanta, Chamblee Sardis Lodge 444 and the Atlanta World War II Roundtable. He liked working in the yard, gardening and spending time with his grandchildren. It wasn't unusual for the firefighter to wear a coat and tie to a grandchild's birthday party.
"He never dressed down," Mr. Bowman said.
When dementia set in, Lt. Foster occasionally went to bed fully dressed, with shoes at the ready -- just in case he got a late-night call.
"He'd just say, ‘I've always got to be ready to go,'" said Norma Foster, his wife of 64 years.
Survivors in addition to his wife include a son, Kenneth J. Foster of Marietta; a daughter, Joanne Brock of Alpharetta; a sister, Carolyn Bowman of Cumming; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
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