Dorothy M Foster

DOROTHY M. FOSTER died Saturday, April 5, 2014, less than two weeks before her 92d birthday. Born Dorothy Jean McCrackin on April 17, 1922, in Frostburg, Maryland, to Nelle Judith (Riffle) and Benjamin H. McCrackin, she was preceded in death by her parents, her older brother Ben McCrackin, Jr., and her second husband, John S. Foster, Esq.

A graduate of Stuart Hall in Staunton, Virginia, and Mount Holyoke College, class of 1943, in South Hadley, Massachusetts, with a Master of Science degree from Samford University, she taught English for ten years at Mountain Brook Junior High School. Formerly active in the Mountain Brook Education Association, she was also a past president and supporter of the Birmingham Civic Opera (now Opera Birmingham), a volunteer with the Girl Scouts, Red Cross and Birmingham Museum of Art, and a member of the Botanical Gardens and the Cauldron Club.

She is survived by her daughter, Barbara G. (Howick) Fant, of Birmingham and Marshall, North Carolina, her son John R. Howick, Jr., M.D., and his wife Rebecca Connelly of Knoxville, Tennessee; her former daughter-in-law Susan M. Howick of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee; five grandchildren: James S. Fant, Cordelia J. F. (spouse Mark) Gallo, Hope M. H. (spouse Michael) Shelton, Margaret L. H. (spouse Chas) Torrence and S. Michal Howick; four great-grandsons: Enzo and Nico Gallo, Charlie Torrence and Jack Shelton; niece Lynn McCrackin, nephew John Clayburn McCrackin and cousin the Venerable Michael S. Kendall.

The family would like to thank LaJinusse Wright, Dot's devoted caregiver for the past several years at Kirkwood by the River.

OperaBirmingham.org or the charity of your choice would appreciate gifts in her memory.

Dot's life will be celebrated at a memorial concert in Brock Recital Hall, adjacent to the Leslie S. Wright Auditorium at Samford University on Thursday, 29 May, at 2:00 PM, followed by a reception in the foyer. Directions to Brock Recital Hall are from Lakeshore Drive, enter the main gate to the campus and turn left at the first intersection onto Montague Drive. The columned building will be on your right, with surface parking lots below, to your left.

Arrangements are under the direction of Ridout’s Valley Chapel, Homewood, AL. Condolences may be left at ridoutsvalleychapel.com with a link to DignityMemorial.com, and AL.com with a link to Legacy.com