THE F I NA L W O R D
Col. Warren Foersch’s Legacy: Pull Harder
Col. Foersch inspecting a cadet
A
n obituary records the facts, but a remembrance illuminates them.
In 2008 John and Pam Buxton recalled meeting Col. Warren Foersch in the football stands. They were surprised to find him attending a game and even more surprised to see him a day earlier than expected for his campus interview. But that was Warren – thorough, eager, and interested in getting his own sense of the place and the people. Over the next eight years they discovered Warren’s greatest gifts: an inspiration to the young people he served; a legendary mentor, and a spiritual leader for those he led. No task was too small or too large. Warren led through his service to others. From the beginning of his decade of service as deputy commandant and later as commandant at Culver Summer Schools & Camps, Warren understood the “importance
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of being present in the lives of students and what a difference it can make in their performance and trajectory.” And he did just that – he was a presence on the sidelines at athletic events when he wasn’t on the water coaching the rowing teams, doing daily inspections, eating every meal in the dining hall, attending spiritual life gatherings with his wife, Debbie, Culver’s Catholic youth minister, and being a constant daily presence in the barracks. From dawn to dusk, he was a man in motion and was lovingly referred to as “a Foersch of nature.”
I was immediately impressed by all the tributes and by how many of these came from CGA grads. I can’t think of another deputy commandant in the history of CGA who would be so known and well-liked by the girls. — Peggy Thompson ’77
In the summer of 2018 Warren and Debbie looked forward to retirement in the Newport, Washington mountains at their house in the woods with their dogs. But a week before Christmas, Debbie created a site on Caring Bridge to inform those who knew Warren that he had just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and a new journey was beginning, one which they knew they couldn’t do alone. The outpouring of support from the Culver “family” was immediate and strong – parents, students, faculty and staff posted steady messages of encouragement and prayers. They also began to share their stories of Warren’s transformational impact on their lives, and a record of his rich legacy began to unfold.
I remember your three tiers of happiness: joy, merriment, and mirth. Mirth, as you said, was felt deep, down to the bone, but I found it impossible to recognize mirth in real life until I looked right in front of me. I see you as a man forged by bones, not just of mirth, but also humor, kindness, and resilience. Indestructible and everlasting forces. — Adam Cole N’18
There is a wise Mennonite saying that reads: Let the work that I have done speak for me. Here are just a few tributes Warren and his family received during his final months: If it wasn’t for you, I would not be rowing or be attending school in Boston. If it wasn’t for you, I would not have the courage or confidence to move through life. You completely altered the path of my life, and shaking your hand at graduation goes down as the greatest single memory I have. — Harrison Steck ’18
What I learned from you during my Culver experience has helped me in my adult life to be a better leader at work, listen to others and be so open and accepting of everyone, like you are. — Morgan Boundy ’10
“Pull harder,” he says, “if you feel like you are dying, just pull harder.” Even on the worst days, when I was a lightweight four rower, Col. Foersch was never angry. Instead, he always had a great smile and would say something magical that lifted us up. He was like a light at the end of the darkest tunnel. Colonel did not just teach me – he believed in me. He saw who was really inside me and woke that person up. Without him, I would not be as strong and confident as I am today. — Charlie Chen ’16 Warren “pulled harder every day,” especially the last two years, and though he lost the physical battle, his legacy of leadership, commitment and passion will continue to light the way for generations of Culver students, faculty and staff. — Kathy Lintner
