Elmer Addison Foskett of Richland, WA left us with a smile on the morning of Monday, March 18,2002, here in Richland.

Elmer was born on February 2, 1911 in Crookston, Minnesota. He graduated from University of Minnesota in 1934 in Chemical Engineering, and in 1937 married his teenage sweetheart, Louise French. Their only child, Elaine, was born in 1940, later following in her father's footsteps by majoring in chemistry.

Elmer pursued a career in the chemical engineering industry working for DuPont in Old Hickory, TN in the manufacture of cellophane. He was trained by DuPont in Oak Ridge, TN to work at the Kankakee Ordnance Works in the production of TNT .

In 1942, he was among one the first engineers to be trained in the science of nuclear engineering at the University of Chicago ''Stadium''. In 1943, Elmer was transferred to the Hanford Atomic Energy Reservation in Richland, WA where he worked in chemical separation until 1964, receiving a medical retirement for macular degeneration.

Elmer then began a new career as the host of the Hanford Science Center. He was known as ''Mr. Science Center'' all through the 70's, conducting many notables through the history and science of the area, retiring for good in 1976.

Elmer and Louise shared a mutual love of music during their almost 65 years of marriage. Elmer had played the French Horn during his college years in the University of Minnesota Band, and brought that talent to the Richland Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Sid Irving, also serving as that organization's second president. He sang baritone in the first men's vocal chorale here, the Meistersingers.

Elmer played an instrumental role in reactivating the local chapter of the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship in 1969. The Foskett's were members of Columbia Foursquare Church in Richland. His favorite hobbies were photography and bicycling.

Elmer is survived by his wife, Louise Foskett and his daughter, Elaine Smith of Minneapolis, MN.

Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, March 21, 2002, in Sunset Memorial Gardens. A memorial service for Elmer will be held at Central United Protestant Church in Richland at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, 2002.

In lieu of flowers, any contributions to the Edith Bishel Center for the Blind, 628 N. Arthur St. in Kennewick, WA or the Washington Talking Books and Braille Library, 2021 9th Ave., Seattle, WA 98129 would be appreciated.