Eileen Marie Foster

EILEEN MARIE FOSTER

Iowa City

Eileen Marie Foster, 90, of Iowa City, passed away Feb. 1, 2020, in her home at Keystone Place at Forevergreen Senior Living.

Eileen was born on July 30, 1929, in Monticello, Iowa, to Owen and Helen (Beagan) Kennedy. Eileen graduated from Mount Mercy Academy, and was employed by John Hancock Life Insurance after graduation. While working at John Hancock she met the love of her life, Fred W. Foster Jr., after he had returned from serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II. On Sept. 3, 1949, she and Fred were united in marriage at St. Matthew Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. Eileen and Fred were lifelong members of St. Matthew Church. They were blessed with four children: Patricia, Thomas, Luanne and Linda.

Eileen will be fondly remembered for her beautiful smile, love of music, dancing, sewing and baking, especially a family favorite, pumpkin bread. She acknowledged every holiday, birthday or special occasion of the year as an opportunity to share her happiness and gratitude for everyone in her life. She had a wonderful gift for making family and friends feel important and loved. Eileen enjoyed being outdoors, especially when she could be walking her dog Hawkeye, gardening or just enjoying the sunshine. But most of all, Eileen enjoyed spending time with her family, in particular her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Eileen is survived by her children, Patricia (Edward) Glenn of Louisiana, M. Thomas (Kathy) Foster of Sun City, Ariz., Luanne Hill of Denver, Colo., and Linda (Dave) Crowley of Iowa City, Iowa; a cousin, Leanore (Hladek) Tubbs of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and a niece, Eugenia Kennedy of Iowa City, Iowa. Eileen was blessed with 13 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, all of whom she loved so much they had to take turns claiming the title of No. 1 grandchild or great-grandchild.

Eileen was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Fred; her brother, Eugene; and sister-in-law, Marion Kennedy.

Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, March 20, at St. Matthew Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids by Father Don Czapla; followed by a private interment at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.

The family extends many thanks for the wonderful care provided by the staff at Keystone Place at Forevergreen Senior Living as well as to the staff at Compassus Hospice and Palliative Care.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made: compassuslivingfoundation.org/

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.cedarmemorial.com under obituaries.