According to the database Ohio Births and Christenings, 1821-1962, accessed at Family Search Labs, Ira Burdette Foster was born on July 25, 1902 in Henry County, Ohio to Frank and Eva Foster. Red Foster's name appeared in the 1930 Census as Burdette I. Foster. He was living in Toledo, Ohio, with his wife Betty, and young son Warren. By the early 1930's, Ira Burdette Foster, known as "Red," had opened a barber shop in Sandusky in the Cable Block. Red Foster continued as a barber in various locations in Sandusky throughout the 1970's.
In the 1950's and 1960's, Red and his family lived on Route 99 in rural Erie County, Ohio. They had a successful goat farm which they called Blueledge. The Sandusky Register Star News carried an article September 19, 1950, reporting that Mr. and Mrs. Burdette Foster had a senior champion goat, four firsts, two seconds, and two thirds in the Toggenburg goat division of the Huron County Fair. The Foster's award winning goats were named: Beatrice, Bessie, Binaca, Bluebelle, Brenda, Barbara, Blythe, and Blodwin. When my brother Todd was an infant, he had severe allergies, and our family doctor recommended putting him on goat's milk. We used to drive over to Mr. Foster's farm, and purchase fresh goat's milk from him. The goats' mild agreed with baby brother Todd very well! Todd is the baby in the family picture below.
Mrs. Betty Foster passed away in Fremont on March 12, 1969. Ira Burdette "Red" Foster died in a nursing home on November 21, 1981. He was buried at Restlawn Cemetery (now Meadow Green Memorial Park) beside his wife Betty. Mr. Foster was sometimes known as Ira, sometimes as Burdette, often as "Red," but there is no doubt that he met hundreds of area residents during his many years as a barber and farmer in Erie County, Ohio.
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