Catherine Foster

Catherine (Cathy) Foster, 68, formerly of 1121 Lakemont Drive, Meadville and a resident of 668 Albright Dr., Meadville since Feb. 19, 2003, died Tuesday, March 18, 2003 at her residence following an illness of several months. She was born in Baltimore, MD March 14, 1935, a daughter of the late William H. & Ella F. Magsamen Rierson. She married Morgan L. Foster November 17, 1957 and he preceded her in death January 11, 1990. She was a 1953 graduate of Kenwood High School, Middle River, MD and had attended Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, and Glendale Calif. Community College, Glendale, Calif. She was President and CEO of Fostermation from l990 to 1997, when she retired. Her company, a local manufacturing facility, was founded in 1971 by her husband, whom she succeeded as head of the company upon his death. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, chair of its Fellowship committee, member of the alter guild, and former chair of the church council. She was a member and past president of the Meadville Rotary Club, a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow, and had been a delegate to the Rotary International Convention in Glasgow, Scotland in 1997. She was a member of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a past Regent of the local Colonel Crawford Chapter, a member of the board of directors of the Meadville Area Industrial Commission, a former member of the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of Crawford County, and a corporate sponsor. She was a member of the Senior Corps Of Retired Executives, the Meadville Medical Center Board of Directors, and the Meadville Medical Center Foundation, having been campaign chair for the Foundation in 2002, and had been recognized as Fund Raiser of the year in 2002 by the Northwest PA Chapter of Fund Raising Professionals. She received the "Tribute to Women" award in 1998 from the YWCA. She was a member of the Meadville Country Club. She was listed in the Whos Who in American Women, and Whos Who in Finance & Industry. She had done extensive traveling, enjoyed American History, working on genealogy, and playing bridge with her friends. Survivors include 3 daughters, Diana F. (Kay) Jarvis and her husband Christopher of Boston, Susan F. Ritchey and her husband John of Meadville, and Heather Foster of Ardmore; a son, Morgan L. (Larry) Foster, Jr., and his wife Kristen of Boston, 3 grandchildren, Alex & Hunter Jarvis and John Ritchie, II; one uncle and several cousins. She was preceded in death by a brother, William R. Rierson. Following cremation, calling hours will be Thursday from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. at the Robert W. Waid Funeral Home, 581 Chestnut St., Meadville. A Memorial service will be Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 649 Park Ave., Meadville with the Rev. Brian Moran, officiating, followed by a church reception. Burial will be in Gardens of Faith Cemetery, Baltimore, MD. Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, 649 Park Ave., Meadville Medical Center Foundation, 751 Liberty St., Hospice of Crawford County, 448 Pine St., Visiting Nurses Assn. of Crawford Co., 747 Terrace St, or the American Cancer Society, 464 Pine St., all of Meadville, PA 16335.