Marion Jackson Foster, 90, of Raleigh, North Carolina passed away on Wednesday, February 3, 2016 in Raleigh.

Our beloved husband, father, and grandfather was born on February 16, 1925 in Keysville, Charlotte County. He was the son of the late William Jackson and Mary Isabelle Jones Foster, who raised him with eight siblings on tobacco farms in south central Virginia. He was educated in the Green Bay public school system in Prince Edward County, graduating from high school in June 1943. Drafted by the U.S. Army, he served from October 1943 until March 1946. He was in France with the Army Air Force, 574th Bombardment Squadron, 391st Bombardment group at the end of the WWII central European campaign.

After the war Mr. Foster enrolled in the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, where he was awarded his Bachelor of Science in Commerce in June 1949. He was forever in awe of and grateful for the G.I. Bill that allowed a humble sharecropper’s son to attend the University.  In February 1953 he married his University sweetheart, Frances Napier of Covesville. He studied law and was awarded his Bachelor of Laws from George Washington University School of Law, Washington, DC, in 1951, and Masters of Laws from National University School of Law (merged with George Washington University School of Law), Washington, DC, in 1954. After the untimely death of his first wife, he and his four children met the lovely Hazel Aileen Hux of Halifax, North Carolina. Marion and Hazel were married in April 1960.

Mr. Foster began his long career in hospital administration as a Legislative Assistant in the Washington Office of the American Hospital Association, Washington, DC, from 1951 to 1955. He then served as Staff Attorney for the American Hospital Association in Chicago, Illinois.  In 1956 he was drawn back to the east coast to Raleigh, North Carolina, close to his beloved family in Virginia, to become Chief Executive Officer for the North Carolina Hospital Association (NCHA). He served in this position until July 1980, when he became President of the North Carolina Hospital Association Trust Fund, a post from which he retired in April, 1988.  He enjoyed his work, treasured his many colleagues, and was grateful for his opportunity to help improve the hospital and insurance industries and enhance access to health care for all people. He was honored to receive NCHA’s Distinguished Service Award and Meritorius Service Award. He was a member of the North Carolina State Bar, the District of Columbia Bar, the Virginia State Bar, and the North Carolina Bar Association.

Mr. Foster was a member of Pullen Memorial Baptist Church under the guidance of the Reverend William W. Finlator for many years, where Mr. Foster served as deacon and on various committees. He later joined the congregation at First Baptist Church in Raleigh. After retiring, he volunteered with the Executive Service Corps of the Greater Triangle and HopeLine. He was a loyal lifelong supporter of the University of Virginia Cavaliers. His greatest pleasure in life was time spent with his large devoted family and pets. He will be remembered always for his graciousness, kindness, compassion, patience, loyalty, warmth, and wonderful humor; he made anyone and everyone feel welcome.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Hazel Aileen Hux Foster; two sons, David Marion Foster (wife Martha) of Arlington, and Mark Stephen Foster of Raleigh; three daughters, Carolyn Jean Foster Goolsby (husband Daniel) of Cary, North Carolina, Mary Helen Foster (husband Kenneth) of Durham, North Carolina, and Martha Christian Foster of Raleigh; three cherished grandchildren, Kenneth Alexander Foster, Colleen Victoria Foster, and Kathleen Frances Goolsby; and his sister, Elizabeth Foster Braswell (husband Thomas) of Windsor. Mr. Foster was preceded in death by his first wife, Helen Frances Napier Foster, son, John William Foster, brothers Charles Henry Foster, William Edward Foster, Zackariah Foster Sr., Harry Elbert Foster, and sisters, Elma Lee Foster Conner, Fannie Belle Foster, and Annie Mae Foster Dunnavant.

A funeral service was held Saturday, February 6 at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, NC, conducted by Pastor Nancy Petty. Burial was in Raleigh Memorial Park with military honors on Sunday, February 7.

Memorial contributions may be made to Transitions LifeCare, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC, 27607.

Please visit www.brownwynne.com to offer condolences to the Foster family. Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, North Carolina, served the family.