Maynard Axel Fosberg

We lost another of the greatest generation and a pillar of the Moscow and University of Idaho community with the death of Maynard Axel Fosberg, who passed away peacefully in his sleep Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, because of the effects of the coronavirus. He was 101.

Maynard was born July 7, 1919, with twin sister Eva to Axel and Helen Fosberg in Turlock, Calif. He grew up on the family farm in Turlock.

He joined the Army Air Corp. in 1940 and was stationed at Lamore Air Force Base in charge of a photo lab, then to Denver for training for gun cameras in the Army Air Corp. Maynard was then transferred to Lakeland, Fla., for reconnaissance training, then to Thomasville, Ga., to train on P1 fighters as a gun camera specialist. He was honorably discharged in 1945 from the service as a technical sargent.

He met Margaret Williams, his future wife, in Thomasville and they were married in May 1947. Together they had two children, Stephanie and Mark, and eventually six grandchildren. He was always involved with his children’s varied activities.

After his service, he enrolled in the University of Wisconsin-Madison, earning his Bachelor of Science in soil science in 1945 and his master’s degree in 1947 in soil science. Maynard also achieved his doctorate in soil science from Wisconsin in 1963.

He and Margaret moved to Moscow in 1947. Maynard worked as a soils professor with the University of Idaho from 1947 (intending to stay only three years) until his retirement after 42 years in 1989. During his time at the U of I, he developed the largest soils monolith collection in the United States with 234 total soils monoliths and contributed to the World Soil Monolith collection in Holland. He published more than a hundred research papers on soil projects in Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Georgia. During his career, he mentored more than 40 graduate students, and developed the soils laboratory that supported his research.

Ever active in retirement, he took over the annual high school FFA Idaho State Land and Soils Evaluation Contest and ran it for 18 years. He rode in the Chief Joseph Trail Ride for two years while in his 80s. He was also instrumental in restoring natural Palouse prairie to farmed land with the Latah Soil and Water Conservations Service and Palouse Land Trust.

Maynard was preceded in death by parents; twin sister Eva; and brothers Raymond, Marion, Harold and Kenneth. His wife of more than 68 years, Margaret, passed away in March 2016 and his daughter, Stephanie, in April 2020. His son, Mark (Karen) Fosberg, of Spokane Valley, survives, along with his six grandchildren.

Viewing will be from noon until 8 p.m. Thursday at Short’s Funeral Chapel. A graveside service will be at 11:30 a.m. Friday at the Moscow Cemetery with the Rev. Norman Fowler of the Moscow First Presbyterian Church officiating.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Maynard A. Fosberg Endowment for Soil Evaluation and Soil Science Scholarship at the University of Idaho.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Short’s Funeral Chapel of Moscow, and online condolences may be sent to www.shortsfuneralchapel.com.