John Foust

John Foust, cherished husband, father and grandfather passed away at the age of 72 on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025 after a lengthy illness. Characterized by his tender heart, adoration of his family and love for the outdoors, he will be greatly missed.

John was born to Max and Betty Foust in Kansas City, MO on May 2, 1953. There he spent his childhood and teen years making great lifelong friends through his love and talent in athletics, particularly football. Some of his fondest memories came from the hot summer days spent practicing and chilly nights under the lights playing for the Center High School Yellowjackets eventually making it to the big stage in the state championship of 1970.

John later attended University of Missouri in Columbia where he joined Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, making his name as the true life of the party. There, he grew to be an avid and talented snow skier and golfer and developed a love for hunting of all kinds.

Always kind, empathetic, and willing to lend a hand when needed, John later moved to Cedar County, MO to help his aging grandparents run the family farm. It took no time at all for him to fall in love with the simplicity of life in the country as he gained a fondness for independence and a divine passion for the wide-open spaces that he carried with him throughout his life.Whether it was checking cows on horseback, baling hay in a summer heat wave, or calving in a January snowstorm, his work ethic was relentless and unmistakable. Above all, his passion for the land in the small Missouri town and the people who call it home was most evident.

John met the love of his life, Jennifer “Ginger” Rapert Foust in 1976 and they married on May 27, 1978. Together they had two children, Abby Foust Hamm (Tommy) of Lake Park, GA and Matthew Asa Foust (Alyssa) of Blair, NE. The two shared a lifetime of love for 47 years that was noticed and admired by many. He considered his family his greatest accomplishment in life and took time daily to let them know it. His all-encompassing love was shown through sweet adulation and praise and warm hugs and kisses making him a man that was a sheer juxtaposition: brawn and warmth; muscle and heart.

In 1995, John and his family moved to Overland Park, KS where a new passion emerged. Always a green thumb, he opened Renaissance Landscaping and serviced the community designing beautiful yards and patios until his retirement. However beautiful the yards of his clients, the true masterpiece of his artistry lay just outside his back door. An accomplishment of great esteem, the brick patio and lush garden he created for his family still reigns as their favorite place in the world to be.

He was affectionately known as “Papa” to three grandsons- John Brooks Hamm (16), William Asa Hamm (9), and Asa Wilder Foust (2). They too share memories of his kind and gentle heart, wild and onery spirit, and deep, unceasing love for them.

He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren and sisters Monica Carson of Kansas City, MO and Ann Cannon (Robert) of Austin, TX as well as a niece and five nephews.

A graveside service will be held at the El Dorado Springs Cemetery in El Dorado Springs, at 1 p.m. March 28, 2026, followed by a Celebration of Life at the home of Dean Smith from 2-4 p.m.