Verna Louise Foster was born on March 20, 1920 to Joseph H. and Mamie Dillard Foster in Hackleburg, Alabama. During her first year of life, her parents, Papa and Mama Foster, took her in a homemade box as a crib to the two-room school house where they taught. The top of the crib was covered with chicken wire to prevent the school children from reaching in and touching the baby. Her sister, Virginia Nell, was born 3 years later—and her brother, Bill, 8 years after that. Her love for her parents and sister and brother was constantly expressed in word and deed throughout her life, and theirs for her.
She grew up in Hackleburg and cherished her childhood friends, many of whom she kept up with throughout her life. The names Kitty Jordan, Bertha Nichols, Thelma Holcomb, and others were familiar to us through Mom's stories of her childhood. We were particularly impressed that Mom knew Thelma's brother, “Sonny” Loden, better known as Sonny James, a famous country music singer. If you are too young to remember him; look him up on Google or listen to his music on YouTube!
As a student at Freed-Hardeman College she met and dated a Texan everyone knew as Bud Whitten. She worked the serving line in the cafeteria and often held back a piece of his favorite pie for the meal together after her shift. Later as empty nesters they often would often share a slice of pie together on their Friday date nights at a local restaurant.
She graduated from Freed in 1940 and earned her bachelors in 1942 at Auburn, (known then as the Alabama Polytechnic Institute). She taught high school home economics in Russellville, Alabama for one year. Around 50 years later in Huntsville, Alabama she reconnected with Rosemary Massey, one of her former students from that year; they became best of friends.
Louise and Clinton "Bud" were married on June 27, 1943. On their honeymoon they took a day trip to a park near Phil Campbell. Years later they shared with their children their amusement at the name of that canyon reserve. They started their marriage in the Dismals.
Their first home was in Los Angeles where both of worked for Goodyear Tire Company and Dad was a student at Pepperdine; he also preached for a Church of Christ in Long Beach. They later moved to Oxnard, California where Alan, Jo Ann, and Virginia Sue were born—three children in three years!
The family moved several times—to Galveston and then Raymondville, Texas; Auburn, Alabama where Mary Katherine was born. In Auburn once, Louise set her young son, Alan, up on the kitchen counter for a switching. When his sisters, Jo Ann and Virginia, enjoyed the spectacle too much, she put them up in his place; they got a lesson in empathy. All four of her children remember the bush in their backyard in Chattanooga, where they had to select their own instrument of correction. Mom paraphrased Scripture, “Spare the switch and spoil the child.” But they experienced her love for them in many other more pleasant ways as they grew up. The family's last two homes living under the same roof were in Henderson, Tennessee; and Bay Minette, Alabama.
Throughout those years after the children had gone to bed, Louise spent many a Saturday evening listening and giving feedback to Bud as he rehearsed his Sunday sermons.
In Galveston Mom sold encyclopedias door-to-door, earning enough to purchase a set for her children. In Chattanooga she worked as a substitute teacher and then half days at the Mary Ann Brown Cerebral Palsy Center. In Henderson she worked part time on the Freed-Hardeman campus during hours when her children were in school. She was a faculty secretary, an aide in library. She also filled in for a home economics teacher on maturity leave for one semester. After moving to Bay Minette she taught second grade for 15 years.
After their retirements Louise and Bud moved into the log cabin he designed and built on a tree farm in Gravel Hill, Alabama. They had a Phil Campbell address, they were back near the “Dismals.” The log house became a gathering place for all the family and many friends. Her children and grandchildren treasure their memories of hiking, fishing, and playing games at what they called “the farm.”
In the 1990s Louise and Bud became active members in the Huntsville Central Church of Christ. She also became a member of the Gamma Alpha chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International—a professional organization of women in education.
Following their Dad's death, Louise assured her children, that she would be “all right”. And she was; she devoted her time to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, to caring for others, to working for the Lord, to studying Scripture, to nurturing friendships. Many lives have been immeasurably blessed by this precious woman, and her family and friends will treasure their memories of her and try to honor her with their lives in the coming years.
She grew up in Hackleburg and cherished her childhood friends, many of whom she kept up with throughout her life. The names Kitty Jordan, Bertha Nichols, Thelma Holcomb, and others were familiar to us through Mom's stories of her childhood. We were particularly impressed that Mom knew Thelma's brother, “Sonny” Loden, better known as Sonny James, a famous country music singer. If you are too young to remember him; look him up on Google or listen to his music on YouTube!
As a student at Freed-Hardeman College she met and dated a Texan everyone knew as Bud Whitten. She worked the serving line in the cafeteria and often held back a piece of his favorite pie for the meal together after her shift. Later as empty nesters they often would often share a slice of pie together on their Friday date nights at a local restaurant.
She graduated from Freed in 1940 and earned her bachelors in 1942 at Auburn, (known then as the Alabama Polytechnic Institute). She taught high school home economics in Russellville, Alabama for one year. Around 50 years later in Huntsville, Alabama she reconnected with Rosemary Massey, one of her former students from that year; they became best of friends.
Louise and Clinton "Bud" were married on June 27, 1943. On their honeymoon they took a day trip to a park near Phil Campbell. Years later they shared with their children their amusement at the name of that canyon reserve. They started their marriage in the Dismals.
Their first home was in Los Angeles where both of worked for Goodyear Tire Company and Dad was a student at Pepperdine; he also preached for a Church of Christ in Long Beach. They later moved to Oxnard, California where Alan, Jo Ann, and Virginia Sue were born—three children in three years!
The family moved several times—to Galveston and then Raymondville, Texas; Auburn, Alabama where Mary Katherine was born. In Auburn once, Louise set her young son, Alan, up on the kitchen counter for a switching. When his sisters, Jo Ann and Virginia, enjoyed the spectacle too much, she put them up in his place; they got a lesson in empathy. All four of her children remember the bush in their backyard in Chattanooga, where they had to select their own instrument of correction. Mom paraphrased Scripture, “Spare the switch and spoil the child.” But they experienced her love for them in many other more pleasant ways as they grew up. The family's last two homes living under the same roof were in Henderson, Tennessee; and Bay Minette, Alabama.
Throughout those years after the children had gone to bed, Louise spent many a Saturday evening listening and giving feedback to Bud as he rehearsed his Sunday sermons.
In Galveston Mom sold encyclopedias door-to-door, earning enough to purchase a set for her children. In Chattanooga she worked as a substitute teacher and then half days at the Mary Ann Brown Cerebral Palsy Center. In Henderson she worked part time on the Freed-Hardeman campus during hours when her children were in school. She was a faculty secretary, an aide in library. She also filled in for a home economics teacher on maturity leave for one semester. After moving to Bay Minette she taught second grade for 15 years.
After their retirements Louise and Bud moved into the log cabin he designed and built on a tree farm in Gravel Hill, Alabama. They had a Phil Campbell address, they were back near the “Dismals.” The log house became a gathering place for all the family and many friends. Her children and grandchildren treasure their memories of hiking, fishing, and playing games at what they called “the farm.”
In the 1990s Louise and Bud became active members in the Huntsville Central Church of Christ. She also became a member of the Gamma Alpha chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International—a professional organization of women in education.
Following their Dad's death, Louise assured her children, that she would be “all right”. And she was; she devoted her time to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, to caring for others, to working for the Lord, to studying Scripture, to nurturing friendships. Many lives have been immeasurably blessed by this precious woman, and her family and friends will treasure their memories of her and try to honor her with their lives in the coming years.
Verna Louise Foster was born on March 20, 1920 to Joseph H. and Mamie Dillard Foster in Hackleburg, Alabama. During her first year of life, her parents, Papa and Mama Foster, took her in a homemade box as a crib to the two-room school house where they taught. The top of the crib was covered with chicken wire to prevent the school children from reaching in and touching the baby. Her sister, Virginia Nell, was born 3 years later—and her brother, Bill, 8 years after that. Her love for her parents and sister and brother was constantly expressed in word and deed throughout her life, and theirs for her.
She grew up in Hackleburg and cherished her childhood friends, many of whom she kept up with throughout her life. The names Kitty Jordan, Bertha Nichols, Thelma Holcomb, and others were familiar to us through Mom's stories of her childhood. We were particularly impressed that Mom knew Thelma's brother, “Sonny” Loden, better known as Sonny James, a famous country music singer. If you are too young to remember him; look him up on Google or listen to his music on YouTube!
As a student at Freed-Hardeman College she met and dated a Texan everyone knew as Bud Whitten. She worked the serving line in the cafeteria and often held back a piece of his favorite pie for the meal together after her shift. Later as empty nesters they often would often share a slice of pie together on their Friday date nights at a local restaurant.
She graduated from Freed in 1940 and earned her bachelors in 1942 at Auburn, (known then as the Alabama Polytechnic Institute). She taught high school home economics in Russellville, Alabama for one year. Around 50 years later in Huntsville, Alabama she reconnected with Rosemary Massey, one of her former students from that year; they became best of friends.
Louise and Clinton "Bud" were married on June 27, 1943. On their honeymoon they took a day trip to a park near Phil Campbell. Years later they shared with their children their amusement at the name of that canyon reserve. They started their marriage in the Dismals.
Their first home was in Los Angeles where both of worked for Goodyear Tire Company and Dad was a student at Pepperdine; he also preached for a Church of Christ in Long Beach. They later moved to Oxnard, California where Alan, Jo Ann, and Virginia Sue were born—three children in three years!
The family moved several times—to Galveston and then Raymondville, Texas; Auburn, Alabama where Mary Katherine was born. In Auburn once, Louise set her young son, Alan, up on the kitchen counter for a switching. When his sisters, Jo Ann and Virginia, enjoyed the spectacle too much, she put them up in his place; they got a lesson in empathy. All four of her children remember the bush in their backyard in Chattanooga, where they had to select their own instrument of correction. Mom paraphrased Scripture, “Spare the switch and spoil the child.” But they experienced her love for them in many other more pleasant ways as they grew up. The family's last two homes living under the same roof were in Henderson, Tennessee; and Bay Minette, Alabama.
Throughout those years after the children had gone to bed, Louise spent many a Saturday evening listening and giving feedback to Bud as he rehearsed his Sunday sermons.
In Galveston Mom sold encyclopedias door-to-door, earning enough to purchase a set for her children. In Chattanooga she worked as a substitute teacher and then half days at the Mary Ann Brown Cerebral Palsy Center. In Henderson she worked part time on the Freed-Hardeman campus during hours when her children were in school. She was a faculty secretary, an aide in library. She also filled in for a home economics teacher on maturity leave for one semester. After moving to Bay Minette she taught second grade for 15 years.
After their retirements Louise and Bud moved into the log cabin he designed and built on a tree farm in Gravel Hill, Alabama. They had a Phil Campbell address, they were back near the “Dismals.” The log house became a gathering place for all the family and many friends. Her children and grandchildren treasure their memories of hiking, fishing, and playing games at what they called “the farm.”
In the 1990s Louise and Bud became active members in the Huntsville Central Church of Christ. She also became a member of the Gamma Alpha chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International—a professional organization of women in education.
Following their Dad's death, Louise assured her children, that she would be “all right”. And she was; she devoted her time to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, to caring for others, to working for the Lord, to studying Scripture, to nurturing friendships. Many lives have been immeasurably blessed by this precious woman, and her family and friends will treasure their memories of her and try to honor her with their lives in the coming years.
She grew up in Hackleburg and cherished her childhood friends, many of whom she kept up with throughout her life. The names Kitty Jordan, Bertha Nichols, Thelma Holcomb, and others were familiar to us through Mom's stories of her childhood. We were particularly impressed that Mom knew Thelma's brother, “Sonny” Loden, better known as Sonny James, a famous country music singer. If you are too young to remember him; look him up on Google or listen to his music on YouTube!
As a student at Freed-Hardeman College she met and dated a Texan everyone knew as Bud Whitten. She worked the serving line in the cafeteria and often held back a piece of his favorite pie for the meal together after her shift. Later as empty nesters they often would often share a slice of pie together on their Friday date nights at a local restaurant.
She graduated from Freed in 1940 and earned her bachelors in 1942 at Auburn, (known then as the Alabama Polytechnic Institute). She taught high school home economics in Russellville, Alabama for one year. Around 50 years later in Huntsville, Alabama she reconnected with Rosemary Massey, one of her former students from that year; they became best of friends.
Louise and Clinton "Bud" were married on June 27, 1943. On their honeymoon they took a day trip to a park near Phil Campbell. Years later they shared with their children their amusement at the name of that canyon reserve. They started their marriage in the Dismals.
Their first home was in Los Angeles where both of worked for Goodyear Tire Company and Dad was a student at Pepperdine; he also preached for a Church of Christ in Long Beach. They later moved to Oxnard, California where Alan, Jo Ann, and Virginia Sue were born—three children in three years!
The family moved several times—to Galveston and then Raymondville, Texas; Auburn, Alabama where Mary Katherine was born. In Auburn once, Louise set her young son, Alan, up on the kitchen counter for a switching. When his sisters, Jo Ann and Virginia, enjoyed the spectacle too much, she put them up in his place; they got a lesson in empathy. All four of her children remember the bush in their backyard in Chattanooga, where they had to select their own instrument of correction. Mom paraphrased Scripture, “Spare the switch and spoil the child.” But they experienced her love for them in many other more pleasant ways as they grew up. The family's last two homes living under the same roof were in Henderson, Tennessee; and Bay Minette, Alabama.
Throughout those years after the children had gone to bed, Louise spent many a Saturday evening listening and giving feedback to Bud as he rehearsed his Sunday sermons.
In Galveston Mom sold encyclopedias door-to-door, earning enough to purchase a set for her children. In Chattanooga she worked as a substitute teacher and then half days at the Mary Ann Brown Cerebral Palsy Center. In Henderson she worked part time on the Freed-Hardeman campus during hours when her children were in school. She was a faculty secretary, an aide in library. She also filled in for a home economics teacher on maturity leave for one semester. After moving to Bay Minette she taught second grade for 15 years.
After their retirements Louise and Bud moved into the log cabin he designed and built on a tree farm in Gravel Hill, Alabama. They had a Phil Campbell address, they were back near the “Dismals.” The log house became a gathering place for all the family and many friends. Her children and grandchildren treasure their memories of hiking, fishing, and playing games at what they called “the farm.”
In the 1990s Louise and Bud became active members in the Huntsville Central Church of Christ. She also became a member of the Gamma Alpha chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International—a professional organization of women in education.
Following their Dad's death, Louise assured her children, that she would be “all right”. And she was; she devoted her time to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, to caring for others, to working for the Lord, to studying Scripture, to nurturing friendships. Many lives have been immeasurably blessed by this precious woman, and her family and friends will treasure their memories of her and try to honor her with their lives in the coming years.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
