From the Jim and Lynn Foster – May 30th, 2026
We did not know it at the time, but our friendship with Kathie King and her husband Tom started during an evening street rod cruise at the fairgrounds in Bakersfield at an NSRA car event in 1994. We caught them eating Banana Splits when Jim was trying out a new Sony Camcorder. Our next chance meeting was at breakfast, almost a year later, in 1995, at the Midnight at the Oasis car event in Yuma. We paled around together for much of that event and that was the start of a fun 32-year friendship.
With our interest in pre-49 cars, we were only beginning to find our mutual interests. Next came camping with them at car events, they in their motor home and us camping in our tent in the corner of their sites. Their home was in San Diego County and ours in Sacramento County, so planning was a must. We soon got a small travel trailer as we wanted to travel distances to do things together. That started our annual trip to Quartzsite, AZ for a week or 2, to meet up with other friends.
We came across a kite event in mid 2001 and soon found Tom & Kathie getting involved with us in this hobby which has mushroomed over the years. By then we were all retired so distances were not an issue. Kathie loved the kite hobby but her interest was more in taking pictures, videos and socializing with others. Tom took up the kite flying. We quickly found difficulty in trying to fly and film at the same time. We were thrilled in Kathie’s interest in being our photographer. She was delighted to be needed as our photographer as she was always there with us and felt like she was participating now with the kites. Kathie always wanted to be involved in whatever we were doing. Let’s face it, most of us like to be needed.
Then we found we had a shared interest in Dixieland Jazz so we added a couple of annual events to our joint plans. This has carried over to an annual gathering in October with four couples in Pismo Beach for 9 days of playing musical instruments, singing & just being together.
Old cars have taken us with them to Nevada, Arizona & many California car events. Kites have taken the four of us to Texas, annually to Arizona to fly at the Lake Havasu Hot Air Balloon Festival. In California kite travels included many New Year’s Day Kite Flies with the San Diego Kite Club, and in March for 20+ years the Huntington Beach Kite Party. Annually for 20 years the four of us have gone to the Washington State International Kite Festival for a month.
Various mutual interests have greatly added to our many adventures together, memories which we will cherish forever and Kathie helped make it possible. Her joy in being with friends, helping anyone when needed, her faith in God and her tremendous love for Tom of 34+ years were wonderful qualities in knowing her. Tom obviously was the love of her life.
The relationship with Kathie and Tom has been an extremely joyous part of our lives. We have enjoyed spending approximately 100 days each year together for over 24 years. Thank you, Kathie, for coming into our lives, wonderful memories, but we miss you dearly!
Lots of love, Lynn & Jim Foster