Ralph S. "Sarge" Foster Jr.

1921 - 2006

Ralph S. "Sarge" Foster Jr., 85, of Westminster, Mass., and St. Augustine, died Thursday evening, March 30, 2006, at the HealthAlliance Leominster Hospital after an illness.Ralph leaves his wife of 63 years, Ruth J. Foster; one son and daughter-in-law, Don and Beth Foster, of Westminster; four grandchildren, Amy R. Irizarry, of St. Augustine, Donald S. "Jay" Foster II, of Westminster, Julie H. Foster, of St. Augustine, and Christopher P. Foster, of Westminster; one great-granddaughter, Emily R. Irizarry, of St. Augustine; two brothers, Robert N. "Bob" Foster, of Nashua, N.H., and William C. "Bill" Foster, of Westminster; and several nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by a brother, Roger W. Foster.

Ralph was born in Essex, Ma. on Aug. 23, 1920, a son of the late Ralph S. Sr. and Viola Foster. He grew up in Lunenburg, as a young man he was very active in the Boy Scouts. Ralph is a 1938 graduate of Lunenburg High School. Ralph then went on to graduate from Boston University in 1942 with a degree in business administration. He also served in the Army and served as a captain from April 2, 1943 to July 1, 1946. He was the owner, operator and founder of the Old Mill Restaurant for over 60 years. Ralph also built and ran the Westminster Village Inn from 1954 to 1988, currently known as the Wachusett Village Inn. He also owned various other restaurants in Fitchburg and Lunenburg. Ralph was a longtime member of the First Congregational Church of Westminster, a Charter Member of the Westminster Rotary Club, currently known as the Ashburnham-Westminster Rotary Club; He was also active in the St. Augustine Rotary Club. He was a member of the William S. Miller American Legion Post 174, M.O.A.A. Military Officers Association of America. He was member of the Board of Directors for the Y.M.C.A. in Fitchburg. He was a founding member, and served on the Board of Directors for Quality Inns. He was a member of the St. Augustine Officers Club.

Funeral Services will be on Tuesday, April 4, 2006 at 10 a.m. at the First Congregational Church of Westminster, 138 Main St., Westminster.Calling hours will be on Monday, April 3, 2006, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the Westminster Chapel of the Sawyer-Miller-Masciarelli Funeral Home, (www.masciarelli familyfuneralhomes.net), 123 Main Street, Westminster, MA 01473. Burial will be in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Knower Road, Westminster, Mass. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Ralph's name to either the Westminster Boy Scout Troop 33, C/O I-C Federal Credit Union, 101 Main Street, Westminster, Mass., 01473 or to the Westminster Historical Society, P.O. Box 177, Westminster, MA 01473.

PAID NOTICE(Please sign the guest book at www.staugustine.com)