Joyce Cameron Foster Ph.D. CNM

1936 - 2022

Salt Lake City, UT—Joyce Cameron Foster of Salt Lake City, Utah passed away peacefully on the evening of March 24th, 2022 at 85 years old. She will be remembered for her dedication to Nurse-Midwifery, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and her family. The great joys of her life, in addition to the gospel, are her husband George, sisters: Marilyn, Colleen and Nadine; daughter Sarah and husband Aaron, granddaughter Rozlyn Mae and grandson William, and her many nieces and nephews. She loved to read, travel and do family history research.

She was born on July 25th 1936 to Clinton Cameron and Lola Isabel Burnett in Los Angeles California. Joyce graduated in Nursing from UCLA, and received a Master's Degree in Maternal and Newborn Nursing and Nursing-Midwifery at Yale University. After graduating with a master's degree in nursing and nurse-midwifery, she served as a faculty member at Yale, and also taught her Yale students at Kings Cross Hospital in Brooklyn NY. She had a brief stint at BYU College of Nursing and then established the graduate nurse-midwifery program at the University of Utah. One of the joys of her life was assisting women in the birth of their babies, and teaching her students to do likewise. She received her Ph.D. in Health Science at the U of U in 1981. She retired as an Emeritus Professor from the College of Nursing in 2007, after 37 years as a program director, faculty member and practicing Certified Nurse-Midwife.

The greatest love of her life was her husband, George Foster. They were married on November 26, 1980 in the Manti Temple. Together they traveled the world and made many friends as they learned to appreciate other lands and peoples.

She is preceded in death by her parents Clinton and Lola, loving husband George and sister Colleen. She is survived by her sisters Marilyn (John) Crandall and Nadine (Mike) Doyle; her daughter Sarah (Aaron) Schauerhamer; her grandchildren Rozlyn Mae and William; nephews; nieces and many beautiful friendships.

A graveside service will be held on April 2nd 2022 at 1pm in the Whitney, Idaho cemetery.

Webb Funeral Home

Preston, ID

webbmortuary.com

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Salt Lake Tribune from Mar. 27 to Mar. 30, 2022.

Memories and Condolences
for Joyce Foster

Sponsored by Webb Funeral Home.

8 Entries

Robert Ruhling, PhD, Professor Emeritus, George Mason University

April 23, 2022

Joyce and I met when we were both professors at the UofU in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She came down to the Physical Education Department wondering if exercise could be beneficial to pregnant women. Since I was the Director of the Human Performance Research Laboratory, we designed several studies in which we exercised pregnant women and reported the results that Lynn Sibley obtained in the Journal of Nurse-Midwifery which indicated that pregnant women could, in fact, engage in exercise training (swimming) programs to assist them through their pregnancies. With all the good research and teaching that Joyce did, she will be sorely missed.

Ann Deneris

Planted Trees

Dixie Rasmussen CNM

April 3, 2022

Joyce opened the doors of her home. DeAnn Brown and I left our homes and young families back in Panguitch and Salina Utah to attend the University of Utah School of Midwifery. We were driving and staying in motels to accomplish our goals to take Midwifery to rural Utah. When Joyce learned of our sacrifices she welcomed into her home and personal life. Sarah was in middle school and we witnessed Joyce in her full example of Midwife, Professor, and mother. We were fortunate that we were able to be a Student in Birth Care Health care Birthing Center. We heard about her work to open it and witnessed low intervention births. I love Joyce. She has blessed my life. DeAnn and I did take The methodology of Midwifery into rural Utah. DeAnn has just recently been named as the Hospital Administrator of Garfield Memorial Hospital along with her Midwifery practice. Joyce is our pioneer and so Thankful she was inspired to start the program at the university.I loved sitting in her office that held thousands of books, journals and projects.Deann and I were also privileged helping her prepare sponges for the students learning to suture. She was an innovative exciting optimistic instructor. I was there when she was awarded the Hattie Heishmyer award at the ACNM conference. I remembered how humble she was. My eternal example is Joyce Foster. I only hope I can continue her mission by being that type of midwife.

Leissa Roberts

March 29, 2022

Sarah and family,
My heart goes out to you in this moment of grief. It was my honor to have Joyce as a teacher and colleague. She was an amazing women and her legacy in the midwifery world will stand strong for generations to come. In the word of Terry Pratchett - "No one is actually 'gone' until the ripples they cause in the world die away." Dr. Joyce Cameron Foster's ripples will continue to move across the generations for as long as we have midwives!

Cheryl Hanna-Truscott, CNM (Retired)

March 29, 2022

Joyce Cameron Foster was one of my midwifery instructors at the University of Utah, Class of 1980. She was a strong proponent of low-intervention, natural childbirth - and I remember that one of the births I assisted on (with Joyce as preceptor) was the most beautiful experience of my student clinical work. Joyce's calm presence and belief that birth could unfold with a supportive, encouraging presence benefitted not only the laboring mother but gave me a boost of confidence as a student midwife. I'm sure her legacy lives on in many of us.

Mary Ann Rhode

March 29, 2022

Joyce meant so much to me, my boss, my midwife, my mentor, my genealogy cheerleader, and my good friend. I'll never forget my wonderful visits with Joyce and George.

Beth Vaughan Cole

March 28, 2022

Joyce and I were colleagues at the University of Utah for 36 years. At one time, she and I were the only LDS faculty. She was very important to her profession, locally and nationally. She was mid-wife for my first child. I know she loved and treasured her husband and daughter, Sarah.

Paul Torres

March 28, 2022

Love and prayers to Joyce Foster family and friends also God bless you to Joyce Foster family and friends. Rest in pease. Amen. Your friend Paul Torres.

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