Obituary of Mary Anne Foster

Beloved wife and mother, Mrs. Mary Anne S. Foster, age 72, of Gloversville died Thursday, November 5, 2009 at Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York City with her family at her side. She was born on December 7, 1936 in Gloversville, the daughter of the late Margaret and Everett Saunders. In 1958 she graduated from The College of New Rochelle with her B. S. in mathematics and married Thomas R. Foster of Gloversville with whom she recently celebrated her fifty-first wedding anniversary. After college, she was employed as one of the first female computer programmers at Eastman Kodak in Rochester, New York. In 1966 she began her thirty-one year career as an educator where she taught mathematics at Johnstown High School. In 1988 she guided the installation and implementation of computer science coursework at Johnstown High School. Under her tutelage many students went on to pursue careers in all facets of the computer industry. When not traveling the country to visit her seven children and thirteen grandchildren, Mrs. Foster enjoyed tutoring, reading, gardening, swimming, Bridge, history, and politics. She is survived by: her husband, Thomas R. Foster of Peck's Lake, Gloversville; two sons, Dr. Tom Foster of South Orange, NJ and Tim Foster of Glenmont, NY, and five daughters, Margie Cunningham of Ashburn, VA, Mary Thompson of Waterford, VA, Anne Foster of Ashburn, VA, Elizabeth Cusack of Downingtown, PA and Rosanne Ouimet of Pittsburgh, PA. She is also survived by thirteen grandchildren: Jeremiah, Jessica, and Connor Cunningham of Ashburn, VA, Trevor, Stephanie, and Drew Foster of Glenmont, NY, Isabel, Sofia, and Tommy Thompson of Waterford, VA, Patrick and Caroline Cusack of Downingtown, PA, Olivia and Elle Ouimet of Pittsburgh, PA and two cousins Susan Hurlbut Imman of Windsor, NY and Tom Hurlbut of Whitney Pt., NY. Friends and family may call on Wednesday, November 11 from 4:00-7:00 pm at Walrath & Stewart Funeral Home, 51 Fremont St., Gloversville. The Gloversville High School Class of 1954 will pay their respects as a group at 4:30 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Thursday, November 12, 10:00 am at the Church of the Holy Spirit, S. Main St., Gloversville. Interment will immediately follow at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Gloversville. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to be made in her memory toward the development of a fund to be endowed as the Mary Anne S. Foster Excellence in Mathematics/Computer Science Scholarship for graduating seniors; C/O Johnstown High School; 2 Wright Drive; Johnstown, NY 12095.