Martha Foster

1935 - 2025

Martha Foster

July 19, 1935 - March 25, 2025

Martha Grae "Motsy" Slough Foster, widow of James Houston Foster, retired Bell Atlantic Division Traffic Manager, was born July 19, 1935, in Buena Vista, Virginia to Ruth Dorothy Jordan Slough and Howard Bowd Slough.

She graduated from Parry McCluer High School in Buena Vista where she represented the City of Buena Vista in the Miss Virginia contest. She attended Southern Seminary and Junior College and graduated from Madison College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Music. She was a member of the Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority. She started her music career at an early age, playing the organ at Christ Episcopal Church in Buena Vista. She sang in the Madison College Glee Club, representing the state of Virginia at many conferences up and down the eastern seaboard. She also sang with the traveling group from the Madison College Glee Club which represented the United States Air Force giving concerts in Iceland, Bermuda and the Azores. She later became organist and choir director at Bainbridge Methodist Church, Bainbridge, Georgia; McCoy Air Force Base, Orlando, Florida; Woodlawn Methodist Church, Roanoke, Virginia; Ridge Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia and The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, Richmond, Virginia.

In August of 1956, she married James Houston Foster, also a native of Buena Vista. They had three children Dr. J. Daniel Foster (Patrice), G. Dean Foster, Sr. (Pam), and Beverley Grae Mac Dowell (Michael). She loved her grandchildren: Meredith Grae Leffler (Andrew), Courtney Grae Scottow (Garrett), Jacqueline Foster Mullen (Justin), James Andrew Foster (Jessie), Megan Foster McKenzie (Jake), G. Dean Foster, Jr. (Jacqueline), Ashley Foster Lombardo (Michael), James David Foster (fiancée Margaret), and step grandsons Ian and Brandon Perdue. She had eleven great grandchildren: Ellie, Duncan and Violet Leffler; James and Emily Scottow; Houston and Olivia Foster; Madeline and Nellie Mullen; and Nora and James Foster.

She taught school in Chesterfield County, City of Richmond and at The James River Academy. She was very civic minded, serving as President of the Bon Air Junior Woman's Club and President of The Woman's Club of Bon Air. In 1970, she was named as one of the Outstanding Young Women in America. She belonged to the DAR, Colonial Dames, Tuckahoe Woman's Club, Woman's Club of Bon Air, Willow Oaks Country Club, Huguenot Investment Club, Friday Lunch Group, an Honorary Member of the VMI Class of 1956, a member of the VMI Institute Society and the VMI Keydet Club. She had been on the Board of Trustees of the Historic Paxton House in Buena Vista, and she served on many local boards. She was a former member of the Grace and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church and a current member of The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer where she was a valued member of both choirs. She loved her church, family, friends, VMI and playing bridge.

The family will receive friends on Monday, March 31st, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Woody Funeral Home, 1020 Huguenot Road, Midlothian VA.

A memorial service will be held at The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, 2341 Winterfield Road, Midlothian, VA on Tuesday April 1st at 10:30 a.m. The family invites you to join them for a reception following the service at Willow Oaks Country Club, 6228 Forest Hill Ave, Richmond, VA. Contributions may be made in her name to the VMI Foundation/Class of '56, PO Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450.

A private interment service will take place in Buena Vista, VA on April 5th.