Carol Marvel Foster

1952 - 2024

Carol Marvel Foster, MD

1952 ~ 2024

Carol Marvel Foster, MD died on June 22 in Salt Lake City due to glioblastoma multiforme, a malignant brain tumor. Carol was born in Detroit, Michigan on September 12, 1952, to internist and allergist Howard Roland Marvel, MD and chemist Margaret Paulson Marvel. She grew up in Lafayette and West Lafayette, Indiana with her three siblings. Carol attended Purdue University where she received a BS in Chemistry. She completed an MD degree from Washington University in St. Louis, where she met and married her husband Norman Louis Foster, MD. She and Norman moved to Salt Lake City in 1977, where she completed a residency in pediatrics at the University of Utah. While at Utah, she was a pediatric life flight doctor caring for children picked up from all over Utah and surrounding areas in helicopters and planes. Carol and Norman moved to Maryland in 1981 where Carol was a medical staff fellow in Pediatric Endocrinology for 3 years at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. This began her career in medical research where she became an expert in precocious puberty and McCune-Albright syndrome, a rare genetic endocrine, bone and kidney disease. Her son, Dan, was born in 1982. The family moved to Ann Arbor in 1984 where Carol was a research fellow in Physiology at the University of Michigan in the laboratory of Jessica Schwartz studying growth and puberty before accepting a faculty position in the Department of Pediatrics in 1985. Her daughter, Sarah, was born in Ann Arbor in 1986. Continuing to run her own laboratory, teach and with a busy clinical load, she rapidly advanced through the academic ranks to full tenured professor. At Michigan, she served as Director of the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Associate Director of the General Clinical Research Center, and Director of the Michigan Newborn Screening Program.

In 2005, after both of her children had graduated from high school and moved away from home, Carol and Norman moved to Salt Lake City. Carol continued her career at the University of Utah as tenured Professor of Pediatric Endocrinology. Much of her effort was devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes and she led an active clinical trials program. She cared for patients and supervised residents at Primary Children's Hospital, Ogden Regional Hospital and Riverton Hospital. She founded and led the fellowship program in Pediatric Endocrinology at the University of Utah. She also was the first pediatric endocrinologist in the transgender clinic. By the time of her retirement in 2021, her formal 22-page curriculum vitae included 60 papers, 9 book chapters and 45 grants and contracts. She touched many lives. She listened to, and passionately fought for the children she treated. She excelled as a teacher and was a mentor and advocate for the many residents and fellows she trained. She was especially supportive of women in medicine and the disadvantaged.

In addition to academic pursuits, Carol played the guitar, loved to read, was an avid hiker, and enjoyed traveling. She liked to knit, crochet and quilt. She produced many blankets, crochet animals for her grandchildren, and beautiful quilts for her family. She was a long-time patron of the symphony and Pioneer Theater and supported many charities. Her family always was her first priority, and the successes of her two children her greatest achievement. She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Norman L. Foster, MD., her son Daniel Alexander Foster of South Jordan, Utah (Franny Bechek), her daughter Sarah Elizabeth Fees (Jesse), and 5 grandchildren: Solomon, Atticus, and Ayla Foster, Nolan and Luther Fees. Also surviving are her brother Howard Marvel (Mary), and sisters Barbara McNutt (Steve) and Janet Marvel (Albert Fowerbaugh).

A reception will be held at 6:30PM on Thursday June 27 at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 East Dimple Dell Road (10600 South) with service to follow at 7PM. Donations can be made to The Foster Family Fellowship and Faculty Endowment in Pediatric Diabetes and Endocrinology Clinical Research at the University of Utah.

Donations by mail:

To the University of Utah Office of Advancement

332 S 1400 E, Suite 150

Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Reference: Dr. Carol Foster Memorial Gift to Pediatric Endocrinology

Donations online:

https://ugive.app.utah.edu/designation/2984

Reference: Dr. Carol Foster Memorial Gift to Pediatric Endocrinology