Lotus Lorraine Foster, daughter of John Wilson and Mary Etta (Young) Perkins, was born September 9, 1932 on a farm near Randolph, Fremont County, Iowa. Lotus passed away unexpectedly Thursday, June 21, 2012 at her home in Shenandoah, Iowa.
Growing up in Fremont County, Lotus graduated from the eighth grade at Anderson, Iowa and from Sidney High School. Lotus worked in the office of Interstate Nurseries after graduation. In 1962 she and her adopted son, Michael Holman, moved to Shenandoah. In Shenandoah she worked at Hy-Vee and then for Joseph Emge, DDS, as a dental assistant. In 1966, she started working at Henry Field's in the Customer Service Dept. A short time later she became Assistant Manager of the Shenandoah Garden Center and later became manager of that store. Lotus was then promoted to general manager of Henry Field's Garden Center Operations, which consisted of the Shenandoah store, one in Omaha, Nebraska and one in La Vista, Nebraska.
On December 19, 1973, Lotus married Raymond Jack Foster, owner and president of Henry Field's. She then retired in 1977 and devoted her time to gardening. When they moved from their home on Elm Street to South Moreland, she had two acres to enjoy, including an orchard, vegetable garden and many flower gardens. Roses were one of her favorites, and for a few years she tested roses for Jackson & Perkins. They also built a greenhouse where she enjoyed growing orchids and many other exotic plants. In 1995 when they built their new home on Bluegrass Lane she no longer had a greenhouse and had a much smaller lot, but still planted many flowers.
Lotus and Jack enjoyed traveling, fishing and flying. She also enjoyed the company of her cats. Jack had been a pilot for many years and Lotus started flying after she retired and got her private pilot's license. They made many trips to northern Saskatchewan, Canada to fish for Walleye, Lake Trout and Northerns. They also kept a car and boat at Branson, Missouri and would frequently fly down to fish for Trout on Lake Taneycomo. They also enjoyed trips to Europe, especially to visit Jack's relatives in England. They spent time in Hawaii almost every year after 1973.
She was a member of Pythian Sisters Temple #37 in Sidney, Iowa. Lotus was also a lifetime member of the Fremont County Historical Society and served on the Board of Directors. She was responsible for doing the research on the Fremont County country schools and getting signs placed at their locations. She was also on the Ferrel House committee for the Ferrel House Museum in Randolph, Iowa, a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and St. Mary's Catholic Church in Shenandoah.
Preceding Lotus in death were her husband, Raymond Jack Foster; parents, John and Mary Perkins; her son, Michael Holman; her brother Jim Perkins; and a sister Mary Lou Rasmussen and brother-in-law, Frank Rasmussen. She is survived by her cousin, Richard Perkins and wife Pat and special friends, Todd and Donna Greenwalt and family; other relatives and many friends.