Obituary of Mary A. Foster

Mary Agnes (Beach) Foster, age 90 of Cortland, NY was set free from her earthly body and went home with the Lord on Saturday, May 26, 2018. She has suffered from Alzheimer's since 2015. A joint memorial service for Mary and Robert will be held at Living Word Free Methodist Church on June 18th at 2:00 with Reverend Ryan Lawrence officiating. Visitation will be held following the service at the church. Wright-Beard will be handling the funeral arrangements. Cremation has taken place. Mary was born on January 5, 1928 in Cortland, NY to William Nathan and Florence Beatrice (Bradbury) Beach. She attended school in Cortland and later was proud to earn her GED. Mary was retired from Smith Corona. In early spring of 1945, she met Robert W. Foster (also of Cortland), when she answered a newspaper ad for a puppy. In addition to finding a puppy, she also found a husband. They were married three weeks later on Easter Sunday, April 1st, 1945. Robert passed away on January 27th of this year. Easter Sunday of this year would have been their 73rd Wedding anniversary. Mary is survived by her daughter Barbara Watts of Cortland, and a son Wesley (Linda) Foster of Rockford, Michigan. Also surviving are 9 grandchildren. These include Barbara's four children: Melody, Monica, Robert, and Phillip, along with their families; and Wesley and Linda's five children: Danita, Darlene, Catherine, Timothy and David, and their families. She is also survived by brother and sister in-laws, and many nieces and nephews. Besides her husband Robert, Mary was preceded in death by her parents, 3 siblings who died as infants: Billy, Dorothy and James; also two sisters and two brothers: Hazel, Alice, George, and Robert. Mary had many interests, including gardening, painting, and sewing. She especially enjoyed working with the children at the Free Methodist church where she taught Sunday school and CYC, and was an active member for over 70 years. One of her greatest joys was singing with the Seven Valley Sweet Adelines. She enjoyed sewing costumes for the group, as well as singing and traveling with them. The family would like to thank Groton Community Health Care Center where she has been lovingly cared for the past year.