Janelle Marjorie (Skinner) Foster

Memorial services for Janelle Foster, 87, of Portales will be held at 10:00 AM, Fri., Mar. 6, 2026 in the Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with Chance Chenault officiating.

Janelle Marjorie Skinner Foster passed away on February 26, 2026.  She was born July 19, 1938, to John and Dora (DeArman) Skinner in Portales.  She attended local schools and graduated from ENMU with a Bachelor of Arts in 1961 and received her Master of Education in 1965.

In March of 1958, Janelle married Travis Dean Foster while they both attended Eastern.  A few years later, while visiting California, they decided to make a permanent move in 1961 and settled in Northern California in Tracy.  They both began their teaching careers.  Janelle started teaching 3rd grade, a few years teaching 4th and 5th grade, and ended her 32 years in education teaching Kindergarten.  She often said the final years of her career were the hardest.  Janelle was membership chair of the California Teachers Association for 10 years.  She held teachers in high regard and finally retired in 1993.

That year, she and Travis moved back to their beloved New Mexico and hometown of Portales.  During all the years of living in California, they would spend summers in New Mexico and take the long way home in August.  They visited many of the states with their children.  Their youngest son, Stuart, often remarked they had been border to border and coast to coast.

Janelle and Travis enjoyed traveling and took several European trips, cruises and many bus tours.  They visited 21 countries and 44 states in the US.  When they weren’t traveling, they would visit and explore all areas of California.  From Crescent City to the North to San Diego in the South visiting all 21 historical Spanish missions.  Their children, Mark, Leisel and Stuart and granddaughter Sassha rarely complained on road trips.  Janelle would say the road trip is half the fun!

Janelle enjoyed genealogy and put her heat and soul into it, tracing family and military histories.  She was a member of UDC, serving two terms as President and a member of DAR.  Janelle and Travis enjoyed square dancing having been members of the Tracy Tumbleweeds and later the Portales Starlight Swingers.

After the death of her husband, Travis in 2021, Janelle moved to Wheatfields Independent Living in Clovis.  She is survived by her son Mark of Stockton, California and his daughter Shelby (Dalyn) Ordano and Leisel (Steve) Hart of Manteca, California.  She is survived by granddaughter Sassha (Steven) Dement of Farwell, Texas and grandson Joshua Nieto (Ileta) Foster of Spokane, Washington, and Jelissa Foster of Kennewick, Washington.  She also leaves 11 great-grandchildren.  She was especially fond of step-granddaughter, Misty Speed of Kennewick, Washington.

Preceding in death were her husband, Travis, a son Stuart, her parents, john and Dora skinner, a sister, Pauline Hudson, and a brother, Robert Skinner.  Interment will be beside her husband in the UDC Circle at Portales Cemetery.

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