Burnett Dane Funeral Home

Foss, 62, died Jan. 8 after having spent much of the past decade homeless. Raised in Libertyville, he never strayed too far from town despite the challenges he faced.Jacqueline Anderson and Janet Mason belong to the United Methodist Church of Libertyville and are among a small group of locals coordinating the memorial service for a man who many in Libertyville might recognize by sight, if not name. The service is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Feb. 5 at the church located at 429 Brainerd Ave.“We want to mark his life and remember him like any other person would be remembered,” Anderson said.They aren’t the only ones. An unknown person made a cross out of plywood, painted it blue and added letters that read “RIP Randy.” The memorial was left on a bench in downtown Libertyville. Foss was known for quietly sitting on benches outside the former Caribou Coffee and the Methodist church.“Most of the time he wasn’t one to talk, he just liked being around people,” Mason said. “When the restaurants closed, people would bring him leftovers. Commuters from the train would say hello to him.”Phil Dane, funeral director and owner of Burnett-Dane Funeral Home, paid for Foss’ cremation and his death notice. He will have his urn buried next to Foss’ mother’s grave.“There’s nobody else to pay anything, and I knew Randy, I took care of his parents. He’d stop by and visit me from time to time,” Dane said. “Anyone from Libertyville who has a problem and passes away, I’m not going to let them sit in a morgue.”Dane said his death certificate listed ventricular arrhythmia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as the causes of death.Dane said a daughter, who’s a young adult living on the West Coast, and Foss’ brother, who also lives out of state, responded when he reached out for permission to handle the burial. He said the death notice will say Foss enjoyed fishing, cars, baseball, visiting Jamaica and playing the guitar and harmonica.Pioneer Press was unable to reach Foss’ family for comment.Mason was taking a video filming and editing course in 2006 when she asked Fos... (Chicago Tribune)