Ferdinand Civic Leader and Coach Donald Foerster Dies at 76

Donald L. Foerster, 76, of Ferdinand, died December 2, 2025, at Deaconess Memorial Medical Center in Jasper. Foerster combined decades of municipal employment, military service, and volunteer leadership in ways that connected local government operations to everyday community life.

Foerster served as Risk Manager and Safety Director for the City of Huntingburg, positions that involved oversight of municipal safety programs and management of workplace risks for city employees. Those roles placed him at the intersection of administrative policy and public operations, and his departure removes an experienced voice on city safety and operational continuity.

His public service also included military duty in the U.S. Army and the Indiana National Guard, a background that informed his approach to organizational discipline and service. Locally he held leadership positions on the Ferdinand Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals, bodies responsible for land use decisions, development review, and the interpretation of zoning rules. Through those roles Foerster participated in decisions that affect property rights, development patterns, and the community character of Ferdinand and the surrounding area.

Beyond government work, Foerster dedicated extensive time to youth sports, coaching and administering soccer, Little League and other youth athletics. His volunteerism helped sustain programs that contribute to youth development and civic engagement, and it created informal networks that support families across Dubois County.

Survivors include his wife Kathy and three sons. Funeral services are scheduled for December 6 at St. Ferdinand Catholic Church, with visitation on December 5 at Becher Funeral Home. Burial and condolence information was provided with the funeral arrangements.

Foerster's passing represents a loss of institutional knowledge in both municipal administration and local civic life. City councils, planning boards, youth sports organizations and veterans networks that benefited from his experience will face the near term task of filling roles and preserving continuity. For residents, the scheduled services offer an opportunity to acknowledge his contributions to public safety, land use governance, and youth programs that shape daily life in Ferdinand and across Dubois County.