Rita Foster

FOSTER Rita H. Foster, aged 92 of Grand Rapids, passed away on Tuesday morning, July 10, 2012 at Covenant Village of the Great Lakes.

Rita Higgins was born March 22, 1920, the sixth of nine children of Irish immigrant parents, Anne McGeever Higgins and John Joseph Higgins in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Rita met her husband, James H. Foster, in the early 1940's while both were stationed in the military in North Carolina. Soon after their marriage, Rita’s first child, Ann Marie was born on September 25, 1944 in Elizabeth City, NC. Jim & Rita moved to Pittsburgh where Jim earned his BS at Carnegie Institute of Technology. During their stay in Pittsburgh, a second child, James John, was born on October 27, 1945. The Foster family moved to Niagara Falls, NY in support of Jim's employment at Bell Aircraft and his graduate studies at the University of Buffalo. A third child, Bette Jane, was born in Niagara Falls on February 14, 1949.

The Foster family of five picked up their belongings and moved to Erie, Pennsylvania where the remaining five children were born; Thomas Howard (10-24-50), Patricia Lee (9-22-52), Laurel Ann (3-1-54), Robert William (9-6-56), and Mary Beth (8-31-59).

Rita and the kids followed Jim to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1961 for a job transfer to Honeywell Aeronautical. It was in Minnesota, that Jim separated from Rita, leaving her to raise their eight children on her own. Rita persevered and took on a clerical job for the Jesuit Community during the weekdays and as a supper club waitress on weekends.

While Ann Marie and James John left home to pursue collegiate studies, Rita packed up the younger six children and followed Jim to Grand Rapids, Michigan in the summer of 1967. Even though Jim divorced her in 1979, she decided to make Grand Rapids her home for the next 45 years.

Rita worked as an Agency Licensing Clerk for over 20 years at Foremost Insurance, retiring at the young age of 71. During her tenure at Foremost she developed life-long friendships with several of her coworkers.

Rita was an avid bridge player for most of her adult life. She was a member of American Contract Bridge Association (ACBA) and traveled extensively to attend tournaments in order to gain treasured Master Points. Her dream was to someday play Bridge with Warren Buffet. Her other obsessions were working on jigsaw puzzles and Sunday newspaper crossword puzzles, reading books, and watching PBS.

Rita is survived by her eight children of whom she was extremely proud: Ann Foster of St Paul, MN, James Foster of Boston, MA, Bette (Richard ) Syrek of Saginaw, MI, Thomas Foster of Grand Rapids, Patricia (James) Leake of Marietta, GA, Lolly (Tim) Kirkwood of Grand Rapids, Robert Foster of Chicago, IL, Mary Beth Foster of Seattle, WA; 17 well-loved grandchildren and 9 beautiful great grandchildren; her closest sister Bette Doyle, brother James (Yolanda) Higgins, sister-in-law Helen Higgins of Pittsburgh, PA; many nieces, nephews and loyal friends.

Rita served in the US Marine Corp during World War II. She was an especially unique mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. To those who knew her, she was a sharp-witted character who did not hesitate to listen to their story and voice her opinion. She will be irreplaceable in the lives of those close to her and will remain fondly in our hearts.

Cremation has taken place. Rita was a member of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church where the Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, August 4, 2012 at 10:00 AM. Relatives and friends can meet her family at the church from 9:00 AM until the Mass begins.

Rita's family wishes to thank the staff of Covenant Village for their loving care and extraordinary support during her residency.

In lieu of flowers please make a contribution to the Alzheimer's Assn. Rita suffered from Alzheimer disease over the last 5 years of her life. To sign her guest book and to leave your own memory of her, visit her web page at www.lifestorynet.com.