Howard Foster

On Thursday May 13th, my dad, Howard Foster of Dawsonville passed from this life due to complications from COPD. Surviving him are his loving wife of nearly 40 years, Vickie Stringer Foster of Cleveland, his daughter LaDana Foster Bruce and son-in-law Matt Bruce of Gainesville. He also leaves behind a plethora of siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Dad lived a colorful life filled with adventures, hobbies and family. He was a carpenter, building everything from multimillion-dollar mansions to a tiny doll house that he helped me wire for electricity for a middle school science project. After retirement dad became a renaissance man, pulling trailers across the Southeast for FEMA, becoming a caregiver for the elderly and eventually becoming a custodian at Blacks Mill Elementary School. He loved working at BMES surrounded by all the kids and teachers. In his spare time, which he had little of as he always operated at full speed, he enjoyed spending time with his family, gardening and landscaping, baking pies, watching NASCAR and sharing stories of his life. Dad was rarely without a hammer in his hand and a plan on his mind. He developed an interest in computers in recent years and loved learning about them from his tech savvy son-in-law Matt, of whom he was very proud to have in the family. Dad turned 75 this past August and he was deeply humbled to have reached that age. He married mom when he was 37 and told her because of his rough and tumble youth there's no way he would live into old age and that she should enjoy being married to him while she had him. By his calculations that would not exceed 20 years. He said that if he'd known how long he was going to live, he might have made different choices, like quitting smoking and doing more things while he still felt well enough to do them. In recent years, it was hard for him to be around his friends and family due to his difficulty hearing and later his inability to speak. Nonetheless, dad was a three-time cancer survivor with a zeal for life, all 75 years he was given. As I was growing up, he never missed a tee-ball game, marching band performance or field day. Mom missed one because of work, but not dad. Some of the greatest lessons he taught me were that your past mistakes don't have to define your present or future and that it's okay to get mad as long as you get over it quickly. Dad was a Christian and our faith makes us certain that we'll see him again and his spirit continues even though his body is finished. Dad wasn't a member of any organizations or clubs because he said Mom joined enough for the both of them. Besides, he said, she'd drag him into her clubs anyway. If you wish to make a donation in his honor, please contact VBSowers which provides vacation bible schools to underprivileged communities and children at 4jagilbert@gmail.com. A casual celebration of dad's life will be held at Harmony Baptist Church Family Life Centers in Dawsonville, GA on Saturday, May 15th at 6 p.m. Condolences may be sent to 329 Hawthorne Drive, Cleveland, GA 30528. This obituary was written with love by his daughter LaDana. To share a memory or leave a condolence please visit www.barrettfh.com Barrett Funeral Home of Cleveland, Ga 706-865-3101