She went to Washington and McCutchanville Grade Schools and was a proud 1953 graduate of F.J. Reitz High School. She started her working career behind the fountain counter at Woolworth’s on Main Street in the 1950’s. She went on to work for Auto Electric as a Bookkeeper and then for a very short stint for Bucyrus Erie until she had to quit when she found out she was pregnant. In the mid-sixties, she continued her career with Woolsey’s Bicycle and Toy Center on Weinbach as a Store Clerk. From there, she was promoted to Store Manager for Woolsey’s Toys in Washington Square Mall, then became Buyer, Inventory Control and Warehouse Manager for three warehouse locations. She ended her career there when Woolsey’s closed after being responsible for overseeing and subsequently shutting down 13 stores in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Missouri. Without skipping a beat, she became the Buyer/Inventory Control/Warehouse Manager for Joe Coslett’s L.B. Jones and then Pat Coslett’s Furniture Festival. She retired from there in 2001.
She was also quite proud that she was the Leader of Raintree Council Girl Scout Troup 277. She was equally proud that she managed to lobby for and succeed in designating Richard Barfield (her husband at the time) as the very first male Girl Scout Leader in Indiana. She had so many fond memories of many Girl Scout outings including several annual Girl Scout camp outing to Santa Claus IN.
In spite of her career accomplishments, she frequently said that her proudest accomplishment was her daughter, Terri.
She is preceded in death by Ronald Leslie “Pete” Foster (father), Odelia Flora Hildebrand (mother), and Roy Hildebrand (step-father).
She leaves behind her cherished daughter, Terri Lee Barfield Craig, beloved son(in-law) James Wesley Craig, Charles Hepler (companion of more than 40 years), many nieces and nephews, and, finally, Bo and Tinker her four-legged babies.
We are grateful for the many people that have be a part of her life and helped to care for her the past few years. Chelsea Allen and Sandy Allen-Markham of VN Plus, Tammy, Chiantia Fingers and the rest of the Visiting Angels team, and Susan Dessauer, Jason Jones, Genevieve, Joyce, Julie, Tom and the whole SouthernCare Hospice team.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, February 22, 2019 at Alexander West Chapel, officiated by Tom Hubachek. Friends may visit 3-8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home and Friday 9 a.m. until service time.
Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, Vanderburgh Humane Society or It Takes a Village Rescue.
Condolences may be offered at www.AlexanderWestChapel.com.
