Former Track Athlete, Ski Team Volunteer Bob Foss Passes Away

NEDERLAND—Gordon Robert Foss, former University of Colorado Track & Field athlete and volunteer with the ski team for over 30 years, passed away Sept. 6 in Boulder.

Born Gordon Robert Greenfield on May 10, 1936, and known as Bob Greenfield when he ran track & field at Colorado under Frank Potts, he was raised by his grandparents in Denver and Evergreen and eventually changed his name to Foss, his grandparents last name.

For those associated with the alpine ski team for the several decades, he's known simply as Bob.

"He was a big part of the overall experience with the CU ski team," CU coach Richard Rokos said. "When news started to get out that he passed away, I was contacted by so many former Buffs who remember his impact on them. He belonged to the fabric of our training."

Living in Nederland and skiing in the Masters Ski Racing, which is a ski system built for skiers of all ages, he was already around the team when they trained at Eldora when Rokos became an assistant coach in 1988. When Rokos became the head coach, Foss became more of a staple at CU's training sessions, so much so that he rarely missed a training session and even appeared in many of the team photos throughout the years.

"It's amazing the perseverance of an individual who has no ambitions to accomplish anything other than being part of the sport," Rokos said. "People expect some benefit, but he didn't. His only benefit was to be around young people and enjoy the company."

Foss attended Denver's South High School and excelled in track & field, winning the 880-yard dash in the 1954 Class A Colorado State Championships. He was recruited to CU by Potts and ran for the Buffs from 1956-59. He was a member of the Buffs two-mile relay team that had the fastest time in the nation in 1959 at the Texas Relays in 7:35.4.

After graduating from CU, Foss attended graduate school at the University of Arizona and University of Denver. He had a short stint teaching Geology at the University of Wyoming before moving back to Colorado.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Marrion Jean Wolf Foss, who passed away on Feb. 6, 2016. Jean was also a CU graduate. He is survived by his daughter, Karin Foss Barker, son-in-law Robert Barker, and granddaughters Bria and Erin.

Former Track Athlete, Ski Team Volunteer Bob Foss Passes Away

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