Foster A. Markolf

12/15/1942 – 5/14/2018 Foster A. Markolf passed away in his sleep on May 14 at age 75. Foster fell in love with Carpinteria as a boy when he spent summer vacations at the state park, then he made it a tradition for his family to vacation there. In the 22 years that Foster lived in Carpinteria, he accomplished more for the community than most do in a lifetime. Foster graduated from Stanford University with a degree in American History in 1964. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1964 to 1968 in Vietnam and China Lake, California and then attended the U.C. Hastings College of Law in San Francisco. Foster had a rare talent among lawyers; he was well respected for his ability to simplify complex legal issues. His corporate career included time with Shell Oil in Houston, followed by the positions of General Counsel for Memorex and then Sequel, both in Santa Clara, California. In 1959, Foster went to a World Series game in LA which prompted a lifelong passion for the LA Dodgers and the game of baseball. Dodger blue through and through, he rented a condo in Goodyear, Arizona and had spring training season tickets for the Dodgers for many years. Foster married Rosa in 1992 and they retired to Carpinteria a few years later. They bought a property in the beach neighborhood and built their beautiful home on the site. Foster loved movies, reading, travel and especially all the above while travelling. Initially he and Rosa travelled the U.S. in a fully loaded coach that Foster delighted in driving. In those days, the Dodgers held spring training in Florida, so the Markolfs would drive to Florida each spring. Later the pair took up international travel, visiting Australia, Africa, Russia, India, Europe and the UK. As much as Foster enjoyed the travel, he also loved to research and plan each trip. Foster could be found every day walking miles of Carpinteria beaches and city streets in his Dodgers baseball cap and shorts. Some of his favorite memories were of rigorous hikes with friends at the Grand Canyon and Yosemite. Carpinteria would be a very different place had Foster not chosen it for his home 22 years ago. His legal training, encyclopedic knowledge and persuasive eloquence have benefited myriad local causes. He brought his compassion, tireless energy and dogged perseverance to tasks large and small, and he never sought recognition for his efforts. As a member of Carpinteria Beautiful, Foster’s legal expertise and love of art fueled several downtown art projects. Whitney Abbott’s Linden Avenue art piece, John Wullbrandt’s murals on Wullbrandt Way and Carpinteria Avenue, and the enamel city seal installed at city hall in honor of the city’s 50th anniversary were made possible thanks to the hundreds of hours Foster poured into coordinating with artists, property owners and the city. In an effort to improve community health and reduce litter, Foster led Carpinteria Beautiful’s two-year charge to bring about the city’s Second Hand Smoking Ordinance in 2011. He was a founding member of the Adopt-A-Spot anti-litter program, and he served two terms as president of Carpinteria Beautiful. He also believed fiercely in public libraries and spent several years on the Friends of the Carpinteria Library board. He lent his legal expertise to securing and renewing the lease for the FOL bookstore, which raises funds necessary to the library’s survival. He also led the group’s art committee, its investment committee and could be counted on for anything from moving boxes of books to drafting legal contracts. In recent years, Foster used his energy and determination to address homelessness in Carpinteria. He was a founding member of the Carpinteria Regional Coordination Committee, which works to meet the housing and service needs of people experiencing homelessness in Carpinteria. Most recently, Foster chaired a committee working to increase housing opportunities for the homeless. Due in large part to his efforts, Carpinterians without homes have access to a weekly lunch program and laundry service. Foster shared his time and heart and helped give his homeless friends dignity and hope. Foster is survived by his loving wife Rosa Markolf; his son Derek (Kathryn) Markolf, his daughter Carley (Scott) Kennedy; his step-sons Craig and Tim Parsons; his sister Martha Aubin; and his five loving grandchildren. To share a fond memory of Foster, please visit http://www.wrhsb.com/m/obituaries/Foster-Markolf/Memories. To enjoy a video clip of Foster, visit https://youtu.be/oHYt6y4gzOk. A celebration of Foster’s life will be held on Sunday, June 3 at 11 a.m. at the Carpinteria State Beach picnic area (ramada two). In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to Friends of the Carpinteria Library, Carpinteria Beautiful or Home For Good, North Santa Barbara United Way. A few weeks before Foster’s unexpected passing, he stumbled upon a Gandhi quote that resonated with him. He emailed it to some friends and had a decal printed and affixed above his desk in his office. It reads: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” No words could better describe Foster Markolf.

Foster A. Markolf

December 15, 1942 - May 14, 2018