EVANS CITY — Gary Foster will be fondly remembered by those who loved and respected him.

Foster, 74, died Saturday of a lingering illness. He was borough mayor from 1996 until December 2012, when he retired for health reasons.

Borough councilman John McKinney knew Foster for close to 60 years.

“He was a very devoted person as far as the town of Evans City,” McKinney said. “Everything he did was for the town.”

He said Foster was involved in athletics, the historical society, the American Legion, and hunting and fishing, and cherished his wife and children.

“Next to his family, he most loved this town,” McKinney said.

Police Chief Joe McCombs said Foster was the mayor when he was promoted to chief in 1996.

“He was always concerned about the public and was very well versed in police activities,” McCombs said.

“He kept the lines of communication open,” McCombs said. “He was always here (at the police station,) and always real personable with all of the officers.”

In his younger years, Foster was an Evans City police officer for two years.

Councilman Karl Kennedy said Foster’s devotion to the borough was unwavering.

“That’s all he thought about, was Evans City,” Kennedy said. “He wanted to have the best for the borough.”

Kennedy recalled the floods that swept through Evans City in 2004 as a result of the remnants of Hurricane Ivan.

“He came to my mother’s place along the creek and asked if there was anything he could do,” Kennedy said. “His own house was flooded, but he was out trying to help everyone else.”

Kennedy summed up the thoughts of all those who mourn the passing of a true Evans City son.

“We always said that he bled Evans City,” Kennedy said. “That’s just the way he was.”

Foster worked at MSA as a chemical operator, retiring in 2000.

Viewing for Foster was Monday and this morning before his funeral. He was buried in the Evans City Cemetery.

Boylan Funeral Home handled his funeral arrangements.

Memorial donations in Foster’s honor can be sent to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675, or at www.woundedwarrior.org.