Olevia J. Foster

MRS. OLEVIA JONES FOSTER WAS BORN ON DECEMBER 10,1931 TO PROUD PARENTS, MR. LEE AND MRS. LOUVENIA JONES IN SIMMESPORT, LA. SHE MOVED TO NEW ORLEANS, LA AT AN EARLY AGE WHERE SHE LIVED UNTIL HER MOVE TO SEATTLE, WA IN 1962. SHE GRADUATED FROM MCDONALD 35 HIGH SCHOOL IN 1950 AND LATER RECEIVED HER NURSING DEGREE FROM BOOKER T. WASHINGTON SCHOOL OF NURSING. AFTER OBTAINING HER DEGREE, SHE WORKED AT CHARITY HOSPITAL IN NEW ORLEANS, LA. AFTER BEING THERE FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME, SHE RECEIVED HER CIVIL SERVICE LICENSE ENABLING HER TO WORK AT THE U.S. MARINES HOSPITAL UNTIL HER MOVE TO SEATTLE. SHORTLY AFTER ARRIVING IN SEATTLE, SHE GAINED EMPLOYMENT AT THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL. SHE FURTHERED HER EDUCATION BY OBTAINING A SPECIALTY LICENSE IN CARDIOLOGY .

SHE AND HER HUSBAND BECAME MEMBERS OF MOUNT ZION BAPTIST CHURCH UNDER THE AUSPICES OF REV. DR. SAMUEL B. MCKINNEY IN 1962, AND REMAINED A FAITHFUL MEMBER UNTIL ILLNESS ENSUED. AFTER RETIREMENT FROM NURSING, SHE FOUND PLEASURE IN EXERCISING, AEROBICS AND LINE DANCING. SHE WAS ALSO ACTIVE IN THE HANNAH CIRCLE AT HER CHURCH. SHE LOVED SINGING AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE WOMEN'S CHORUS. SHE IS KNOWN FOR HER CONTAGIOUS SMILE AND COMEDIC SENSE OF HUMOR.

OLEVIA (BABYRAY AS SHE WAS AFFECTIONATELY CALLED BY FAMILY AND FRIENDS) PEACEFULLY PASSED AWAY AT HOME ON OCTOBER 24, 2013 AFTER A PROLONGED ILLNESS. SHE LEAVES BEHIND HER HUSBAND OF 54 YEARS, LLOYD FOSTER; ONE DEVOTED DAUGHTER, RACHELLE CUNIGAN (DERRICK); ONE GRANDSON, LEROBERT FOSTER (CARISSA), ONE GRANDDAUGHTER, JALISSA JOHNSON; THREE GREAT GRANDSONS, CHARLIE WAVERLY, BRENDAN FOSTER AND AUSTIN FOSTER; ONE GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER, JAZMARIE JOHNSON; ONE STEPSON, RONALD WEST (ANN); ONE STEPGRANDDAUGHTER, TA'SHERIL WATLEY, 1 STEPGRANDSON, DAMIEN WEST; 3 STEP GRANDDAUGHTERS, TAYLOR WEST, D'ANNA WEST, DESTINY WATLEY; FIVE SIBLINGS: ROOSEVELT JONES (FANNIE), MOLLIE WEATHERS, AND SPELLMAN JONES (LUCILLE) OF CHICAGO, IL, ORA JIMERSON OF SEATTLE AND JOSIE NALL OF DOLTON, IL; SISTER-IN-LAW, DOROTHY SYE OF CARSON CA; BROTHER- IN-LAW, COTRELL FOSTER (ELSIE) OF BREAUX BRIDGE, LA; BROTHER-IN-LAW, J.T. FOSTER (SHIRLEY ) OF HOUSTON, TX AND A PLETHORA OF NIECES, NEPHEWS, COUSINS AND FRIENDS.

TWO DAYS BEFORE HER DEMISE, SHE BEGAN SINGING FROM HER HOSPITAL BED: "I'M GOING TO SEE MY JESUS, I'M GOING TO SEE MY SAVIOR, I'M GOING UP YONDER TO BE WITH MY LORD". REST IN PEACE BABYRAY, YOU'RE WITH YOUR LORD!

PLEASE DON'T SING SAD SONGS FOR ME, FORGET YOUR GRIEF AND FEARS; FOR I AM IN THE PERFECT PLACE, AWAY FROM PAIN AND TEARS.

MY LIFE ON EARTH WENT WELL, AS EARTHLY LIVES CAN GO;

BUT PARADISE IS SO MUCH MORE THAN ANYONE CAN KNOW.

MY SOUL IS FILLED WITH HAPPINESS, AND SWEET REJOICING TOO;

TO WALK WITH GOD IS PERFECT PEACE, A JOY FOREVER NEW.