Every now and again, we’re going to post a member profile. We’ll provided members with a list of 10 questions and we’ll post their answers! Great to hear about how OMC members became Mustang fans! We choose Gordon Foster as our 1st member profile as Gordon was the first OMC member to purchase a 2015 Mustang from our sponsor’s dealership – Bob Moore Ford. Here’s what Gordon had to say:
Here is a bit of info on me. I must first say; I’m really very honored to receive this attention. Especially for only doing nothing more than having a love for mustangs and this was born out of my Dad’s preference for Fords which I adopted in 1997 with the launch of the all new F-150. I ended up buying 4 of the 97 models and one 98. I’ve been a Ford man ever since.
I was born in Norman Oklahoma as my parents were attending “The University” but we briefly lived in Alaska after that and I ended up going to School in Tulsa Oklahoma where my Dad worked for the newspaper. Home has always been 2 miles east of Meers Oklahoma where my grandparents farmed and taught school. We always spent school breaks there and I have many fond memories of my aunts uncles cousins grandparents and parents being together there. I mostly remember the laughter that was always present when we were around. I moved back to Lawton in 1981 and my parents followed in 1984. I someday plan to build a house on the family place 2 miles east of Meers. I have a son and daughter in law who live in Edmond. My son Casey is also a member of OMC.
I currently am the Director of Nursing for the Lawton Campus of Platt College. I retired from the Oklahoma State Department of Health in December of 2010 after 27 years of service. Not all of it was at OSDH. I previously worked for the Department of Mental Health and The Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs.
Hobbies, I really like to travel the back roads looking for rare cars well any cars that are just forgotten neglected or otherwise just wasting away. I love to imagine them during their glory days, wonder what they looked like when they were new, think about who owned them and what stories they could tell. A junk yard or salvage yard is just as fascinating to me as the Grand Canyon or the Mississippi River. I enjoy flea markets and garage sales, I like to buy old stuff as much as I like to ‘negotiate’ their purchase price. The Mustang is one of the most customized cars in production. I’m not very mechanically inclined but putting our personal touches on our Mustangs has really been a fun endeavor for me and Casey. Im a little hesitant about taking a perfectly good car apart so things like drilling through the hood and taking off the bumper cover I reserve for him to do.
I joined the OMC this past year, for the life of me I do not know what kept me from joining earlier. It is something I have always wanted to do. I just figured that members of a ‘club’ had all these show cars and mine have always been daily drivers. Im really glad I finally got over that bump in my love for cars.
My very first Mustang was a 2006 V6 with the Pony Package. It was blue because that was Casey’s favorite color. I believe the purchase of that car involved a little help from the Good Lord. You see my lifelong plan well since I was about 9 or so was to buy my child if I was blessed with children a new car for their 16th birthday. There is a saying that rings true in most cases; ‘Those who let things happen usually lose to those who make things happen’ Well without letting him in on the plan we went and looked at new Mustangs ostensibly thinking about getting one for me. Well I did let him pick out the one he liked and his enthusiasm began to build. Long story short, my credit wasnt that great and I had credit app after credit app declined. Finally the the reality of what was happening began to sink in and we both had a long dejected ride home. The next morning the finance manager called and said the credit was not only approved but it was approved by Ford credit. It was the beginning of my spiritual awakening and a long overdue walk with Jesus. If you believe and you believe God works in mysterious ways then you can believe he can do his work in something as seemingly unimportant as having a new car. I believe he was helping an undeserving father meet the un-imaginable dreams of a well deserving kid. My second Mustang ended up being a 1998 yellow V6 that my nephew was unable to keep. Then came a 2011 Gt Premium a 2013 V6 Gotta Have it Green a 2014 base Gt Gotta Have it Green and now my 6th. Mustang The 2015 Gt. I sat on the bench at Bob Moore Ford after hours many evenings and debated whether or not to buy it. When they put the stripes on it I thought, man they have really turned up the pressure on me now. Because it really did look good. The day of the OU vs Kansas football game I did 2 drive byes. I drove through the parking lot after the game and showed the car to Wendy, it was kinda rainy so it was a good excuse to not get out and look at it. We went to eat and came back by the car lot. It was gone. I told Wendy, either that stripe got it sold or they are taking it to the OMC general meeting which was scheduled for the following day. Well as fate would have it, it was at the meeting and not sold so on the 28th of November Wendy and I were “ostensibly” headed to Tulsa to meet up with some High School chums when I pulled into the lot and did the inevitable, bought it.
I like most about the Mustang is that it is about the fastest car you can buy under 50k. I like that it is a Ford and that Ford didnt take bail out money when the other major car companies did. But what I think I like most about a mustang is the way it looks with a stripe on it!!!
My dream car would be a new Shelby Convertible, Red of course. And that is only because I doubt the first production mustang ever to roll off the assembly line will ever be for sale.
I think my favorite thing to do is cruise in the mustang followed by showing it. It is and probably always will be a daily driver so I guess my favorite thing to do is drive it!
For people looking to buy their first Mustang. I would say have faith it can happen to you!
Something people dont know about me: My passion is has and always will be law enforcement. I first applied to be a cop in the mid 80s and got disqualified for only having one kidney. Well in 1991 Sheriff Kenny Stradley made that dream come true for me by making me a reserve deputy with the Comanche County Sheriffs Department. I went on to be FTO qualified which means I can go on patrol by myself (have my own ticket book) and carry an off duty weapon under the color of the Sheriff’s Department. I hope this doesnt come off as having the “John Wayne” syndrome because I really dont. I humbly am able to serve and protect the citizens of Comanche County. The Sheriff often quotes Matthew 5-10. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God. I take this verse to heart.
Again Thanx you for considering me for this highlight, it really means a lot for someone that did nothing other than buy a new Mustang 🙂
