Monday’s obituary of Grover Foulk includes a long list of service clubs, local boards, Masonic groups, government posts and other positions indicating deep involvement in the community. Elected in 1980 and 1984 to the Champaign County Commission and in 1995 and 1999 to the Urbana City Council, he died at the age of 89 in his Urbana home Feb. 5.
“He was a member of many organizations and was always a loyal servant of the community,” said county Commissioner Bob Corbett, elected to the commission following Foulk’s commission terms. “He was a dedicated servant of the community, a natural leader who did a lot of things for the community.”
Corbett noted that Foulk taught for several years. He taught industrial arts at Urbana High School, was an FFA advisor and established a job placement program.
“He always attended community events, from the fair to the chicken barbecue,” Corbett said.
Foulk served on the commission with Dan Rooney, who called him the “quintessential public servant, dedicated to making decisions that were good for the community. He wasn’t influenced by anyone else’s opinion. He wasn’t someone who went along with the consensus.” He said Foulk considered the ramifications of each potential decision. “He would carefully think out his decisions. He rarely gave an opinion on the spur of the moment.”
Rooney said Foulk was a “numbers man … a good steward of the county’s funds … well prepared when it was time to do the budgets.”
Another attribute Rooney noted was Foulk’s consideration of others. “I never heard him say anything disparaging about anybody. He enjoyed people. Even though he might disagree with somebody, he never treated anybody in any kind of negative way. He seemed to get along with everybody. And, he worked at making sure people felt welcome when they came to the commission (office).”
Rooney said he had a high regard for Foulk and called him “a man of integrity, a fine gentleman.”
Foulk is survived by his wife, Marilyn; his children, Col. Vincent (Claudia) Foulk, Susan (Gary) Lantz, Rochiel Von Foulk and Marilyn (Dave) Miller; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Mechanicsburg Episcopal Church of Our Saviour. The Skillman, McDonald & Vernon Funeral Home, Mechanicsburg, is assisting the family.
