It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Lance M. Foster, a cherished Elder, mentor, and valued member of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska. Lance was deeply respected for his vast knowledge of our tribe’s rich history and his dedication to preserving and sharing our language and traditions. His wisdom, guidance, and warmth touched the lives of so many, and his contributions to our community will never be forgotten. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Lance’s family, friends, and all who had the honor of knowing him. He will be deeply missed, but his legacy will live on in the hearts of our people.
Lance M. Foster (Irogre: Finds What is Sought, Bear Clan), b. 1960, was a member of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, of the Ioway Nation. Raised in Montana, he received a B.A. in Anthropology and Native American studies from University of Montana as well as an M.A. in Anthropology and an M.L.A. in Landscape Architecture from Iowa State University. He was an alumnus of the Institute of American Indian Arts. He was the Director of the Native Rights, Land and Culture division of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, a Historical Landscape Architect for the National Park Service, and an archaeologist for the U.S. Forest Service. He taught at the University of Montana – Helena College of Technology. He served his tribe as THPO (Tribal Historic Preservation Officer), consulting for the tribe on environmental and cultural compliance, founded the tribal museum, was an Ioway language advocate, and NAGPRA officer. He served on the Indian Advisory Council of Iowa’s Office of the State Archaeologist. He was the author of The Indians of Iowa (University of Iowa Press, 2009), and appeared in the documentaries America’s Lost Landscape: The Tallgrass Prairie (2006), Lost Nation: The Ioway series (2007, 2013), and Life Before Fairfield (2017).An artist and educator, he resided with his wife in White Cloud, Kansas. He was elected Vice Chairman of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska in the fall of 2019. He led the effort in establishing Ioway Tribal National Park (Baxoje Mowotanani) in Kansas-Nebraska and the return of our tribal boarding school, the Presbyterian Mission in Kansas, both of which were achieved. He was on the board of NATHPO as Southern Plains member, and on the board of the Nebraska Chapter of The Nature Conservancy.
