Arthur Wade Foss

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, July 29, 2017 in the Delhomme Chapel of the Flowers for Arthur Wade Foss, Jr. who passed away on July 25, 2017 at his home in Lafayette. He was 92 and a resident of Lafayette since 1950. Chris Jeffus, Assistant Chaplain of Bridgeway Healthcare & Hospice, will conduct the funeral services. Burial will take place in Lafayette Memorial Park Cemetery. Arthur grew up in New Orleans and lived most of his adult life in Lafayette. He graduated from Fortier High School and attended Tulane University (1941-1944). While at Tulane he was a member of the Naval ROTC. Arthur enlisted in the US Navy in February 1942 and was commissioned as a Naval Officer in February 1944. During WWII he served on USS LST 1023 and commanded USS LST 553. He received an honorable release from active duty on July 22, 1946 and continued his education in Baton Rouge at LSU that same year. Arthur earned a BS in Chemistry with a Math minor in 1948. He joined the active reserves of the US Navy in 1950 and retired with the rank of Commander on June 30, 1965. Arthur worked as a sales representative for the Ruberoid Company from 1948 to 1953 and as the Manager and part owner of Southwest Materials from 1953 to 1965. In 1965 he started his own business, Architectural Specialties, Inc., a material supplier for commercial construction. Arthur retired from the business in 1994; the company continues to thrive today under new ownership. During his business career he served on several trade associations including the Board of Directors and as President of the Louisiana Building Materials Association, Board of Directors of National Retail Lumber Dealers Association, and Board of Directors of Louisiana-Mississippi Hardware Association. He is also a Past President of the Tulane NROTC Alumni Association. Arthur served eight years on the Louisiana Republican State Central Committee. He was the 1956 Republican Nominee for Police Juror and the 1960 Republican Nominee for State Representative. Arthur was preceded in death by his loving wife of 58 years, Jessie Burns Levy; his father, Arthur Wade Foss, Sr.; his mother, Wilhelmina Elizabeth Murray; his sister, Thais Foss Cuthell; and his nephew, John Wade Costley. He is survived by three daughters, Linda Catherine Foss of Austin, TX and her sons Samuel and Andrew Foss-Grant; Nancy Elizabeth Foss of Austin, TX; and Sally Foss Santos of Athens, AL and her children Francesca Poggio and Andres Colocho and his wife, Bonnie. Arthur is also survived by his sister, Wilhelmina Foss Lawley and her children Daniel Costley and wife Mary Alice, and Michael Costley and wife Dorena. Arthur’s family is very appreciative of the care provided by Allcare Professional Solutions, Inc., Home Instead Senior Care-Lafayette, A First Name Basis, and Bridgeway Healthcare & Hospice over the past years. Special thanks to Dr. Michael Alexander and staff, Dr. Wael Karim and staff, the nurses and other medical personnel at Lafayette General Hospital, Shante Broussard, Roshawn Francis, Rashawna Thomas, and Lea Albarado for their dedication and compassion to Arthur throughout his illness. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (www.michaeljfox.org). The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Delhomme Funeral Home - Bertrand on Friday, July 28, 2017 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Visiting hours will continue on Saturday from 8:00 AM until the time of service. Pallbearers will be Andres Colocho, Daniel Costley, Michael Costley, Andrew Foss-Grant, and Enrico Poggio. Personal condolences may be sent to the Foss family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com. Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA is in charge of funeral arrangements.

Arthur Wade Foss

January 15, 1925 - July 25, 2017