Colette M. Foster (Gilroy)

Colette M. Foster (Gilroy), 69, passed away on December 3, 2015 at the KU Medical Center. She was born in 1946 in Vinton, Iowa, the first of seven children of John J. and Pauline J. Gilroy (Giffin). She graduated from Eudora High School and St. Margaret’s School of Nursing in Kansas City, Kansas. She married Robert Stephen Foster in June, 1968. They later divorced. Colette worked her entire professional career as an emergency room nurse at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, the U.S. Naval Hospital, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 15 years at the KU Medical Center and 25 plus years at the VA Hospital in Kansas City, MO. She was preceded in death by her father, and her brothers in-law, Randy Johnson and Alan Loria. She is survived by her mother of Eudora, KS, and her siblings, Carolyn Crews (Rick), Basehor, Cathy Johnson, rural Eudora, Connie Gilroy (Chip McConnell), Lawrence, Cyrilla Loria, rural Lawrence, J.C. Gilroy (Linda) Lawrence, and Jim Gilroy (Sheryl), rural Eudora. She is also survived by nine nieces and nephews and twelve great nieces and nephews. Colette was smart, generous and compassionate and had a great sense of humor. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends. The family wishes to express their deep appreciation to the physicians, nurses, and staff at the KU Medical Center for their excellent care of Colette during her last few weeks.

A visitation will be held from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Saturday, December 12, 2015 at Warren-McElwain Mortuary – Eudora Chapel in Eudora, KS. Memorial contributions may be made in her name to the charity of donor’s choice and may be sent in care of the mortuary.