Harry H. Foos

From Harry's son, Maurice Foos 2011: He would never tell us what H. for his middle name stood for, apparently he did not like it.

His parents Harry and Clara met probably in Rush Center. Harry worked at the oil refinery right East of Wichita, Clara worked for a boarding house in Wichita. One son, Harley, was born while they were in Wichita. Harry went to John Deer mechanic school and also GM mechanic school. He was very good with equipment. "If it didn't run he'd make it run." He knew if he farmed that getting work done on your tractor or machinery he'd be better off if he could do his on repairs because where he'd be farming was along way from anyplace to get repairs done. Ks Harry and Clara's first farm was in Gove County, Ks. Their other two son's, Carlton and Maurice, were born in the farmhouse they lived in in Gove County. They'd made extra money during the dust bowl era with a dance hall they owned in Pendenis, Pendenis was just a spot where the railroad went through. Clara made pies to sell at the dances. Maurice, Harry's youngest son, said that the kids when there and that when the trains went through "the place shook like hell". During WW2 the government came out and took over the farm and used that area for artillery range. The government wanted to give him $500 for his land. Some hot words were exchanged and Harry ending up suing the government and won, so they had to pay him some more money. When this was our land to farm again, us kids had to go out and pick up all the clips and plane hitches so it wouldn't tear up the farm machinery. (per Maurice)

When he was kicked off his Gove farm by US Government to use his land as an arterially training range, Harry used the money and bought some farmland in Wichita County, KS, about 9 miles SW of Leoti, KS. Maurice was in the fourth grade when they moved there. Harry eventually got the Gove County farmland back after the war.

We were always told that Harry completed 3rd grade and then helped his father on the farm. (But I, his grandaughter, have found something that makes completion of 8th grade look likely. Eventually Harry and his wife, Clara, lived in Wichita, Kansas, where he went to John Deere mechanics school and Clara cooked at a boarding house. Their son, Harley, was born in Wichita. They bought a farm in Gove County, Kansas, which later was owned by the oldest son, Harley. They moved southwest of Leoti, Kansas, where Harry and Clara raised their 3 boys and hosted most holidays for the families of their sons. During planting seasons and harvests sons and grandsons helped. Many fun summers and holidays are remembered at this farm. Harry farmed until he got cancer and passed. Clara, his wife, took care of the farm while he was sick, she was throwing bales off the top of the hay stack for the cattle in the corral as my grandfather Harry sat at the kitchen table, watching Incase she fell off. After Harry passed, Clara stayed on the farm, then Carlton moved to the farm and Clara moved to an apartment on the south edge of Leoti. Later she moved to Oregon to be close to her youngest, Maurice. She was in her 80’s and saw the ocean for the first time, which she said she had always wanted to sea the ocean. It was also the first time she had flown in an airplane. She passed in 1990. Her second flight was exciting as the airline almost didn’t transfer her coffin off the plane. It was called to Maurice’s attention by a Grandaughter, Michelle Foos Coker, as she was watching luggage being unloaded. Michelle and Susan, Grandaughters, had traveled across the country from Kansas to see their grandmother, but Clara died the day before they got there. Both, Harry and Clara led a hard, but resourceful life and were loved dearly by their children, grandchildren and took on raising a great grandson, Bryan “Buffy” Foos, their great grandson, for a few years. Line: Harry, Harley, Errol Dean, Bryan “Buffy”.

Whenever grandchildren visited the farm they always left with a piece of fruit, Brown lunch bag of candy and a soda of their choice. Grandpa Harry always called most of his grandchildren as “Peanuts” as he’d take out his coin purse and squeeze it open to give a coin or two as we left for home. They are both terribly missed.