Roll Call Tribute

Foster C. Rinefort 

June 30, 1932 - December 15, 2022 

Foster C. Rinefort, professor emeritus and safety consultant, passed away Thursday, December 15, 2022. He was 90 years old.

Services will be held at 11:00 AM, Tuesday, December 20, 2022 at Wesley United Methodist Church in Charleston with visitation starting at 10am. Memorials in his honor may be made to the Foster C. Rinefort Scholarship Fund at EIU or Wesley United Methodist Church and left at the church or mailed to Adams Funeral Chapel, 2330 Shawnee Drive, Charleston, IL 61920.

Foster was born June 30, 1932 in Flushing, New York and grew up in the Chicago suburbs. He was married to Penny (Price) for 26 years prior to her death in 1986. In 1994 he then married Jean (Knakmuhs). He is survived by Jean, 4 children and 5 grandchildren.

Foster graduated from Glenbard High School, received his degree from Grinnell College, an MBA from San Francisco State, and his PhD from Texas A&M University. His career began with Proctor and Gamble, then IMC where he managed the international safety and health division. He later shifted to teaching; first at Indiana State University before joining the faculty at Eastern Illinois University in 1982. Foster also ran his own consulting firm and worked with countries in Europe and Asia on national safety and health policy.

Foster’s other accomplishments include: Eagle Scout, Certified Professional Engineer, Founder of OSHA’s VPP, and recipient of the distinguished National Safety Council Cameron Award. He was a member the Rotary Club and Wesley United Methodist Church. Foster was a US Army veteran.

Foster loved to travel both domestically and abroad. In recent years, he’d snowbird in South Padre Island in Texas. He was an avid Cubs fan, a mountain climber, a dedicated runner and a fan of the Wall Street Journal.