Obituary of Helen V. Foster

Helen Vance Foster, Ph.D., passed away on November 23, 2011. She will be sorely missed by her daughter, Helen "Choo Choo" Foster, grandson, Charles Parson, additional family, friends, and colleagues in Western NY and around the country. She was predeceased by her husband of 28 years, Warren L. Foster. Helen reached her 86th birthday in October, and then passed away in Delaware while being treated for pneumonia. Helen "Dolly" Vance was born to Helen S. Vance (nee Carter) and John Vance in Cleveland, OH. Dolly was the only daughter and middle child in a close-knit family that prized education (both parents and all children were college graduates), compassion, grace, friendship and love of travel. Raised in the AME Church, these were among the values by which Helen lived her life and passed on to her daughter and grandson. Helen earned three degrees at Ohio State University: A Bachelors of Science in Education in 1947, A Masters of Science in Education in 1949, and a Ph.D. in Education for Exceptional Children in 1956. While a student in Columbus, OH, Helen started a lifelong affiliation with the Presbyterian Church because of its support of principles that would form the foundation of the Civil Rights movement. An ardent Buckeye, Helen was also a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Epsilon Chapter. Dr. Helen Vance joined the faculty of the State University of New York at Geneseo as an Associate Professor, with tenure, in 1959, and was appointed to Full Professor in 1964, becoming the first Black women to receive such an appointment at SUNY Geneseo. As Chair and Acting Chair of the Department of Special Education, Helen's commitment to her undergraduate and graduate students as well as her colleagues was a hallmark of her 34-year teaching career. Helen published several articles throughout her career, and served on several NCATE accreditation teams. As a clinical psychologist, Helen also worked with countless Western NY children and families, as well as counseling incarcerated women. Through her Central Presbyterian Church in Geneseo, Helen also led several summer programs for children of migrant farm laborers working their way through Western NY. Helen met Warren Foster in Rochester, NY, and was married in Geneseo in 1961. After building their home on Rt. 39 in Avon, Dr. Helen Vance Foster became "Mom" in 1964, adding that title to "Aunt Dolly" and "Aunt Helen" for her many friends' children, and "Mrs. Foster" to Choo Choo's multitude of friends. Twenty-eight years with Warren seemed hardly enough time together, but it was time well-spent on living, loving, travel, hosting countless parties, and working in the profession of her choice. Following her 1993 retirement, Helen continued to enjoy international and domestic travel, time spent with her daughter in Boston and numerous family friends. She also remained active in church work, and volunteered at Rochester day care center for several years. She became mother-in-law to Darryl A. Parson, Esq., in 1998, and very proudly became "Grandma" to Charles St. Clair Warren Parson in 2002. Helen's last two big travel adventures were shared with Charles and Choo Choo, as they cruised to the Panama Canal and vacationed in Puerto Rico in 2005. Later that year, Helen permanently relocated to Wilmington, DE, to be closer to the young light of her life. She was so thankful to be able to spend quality time with Charles, watching him develop, cheering him on, and regaling him with countless stories of his mother and Grandma. A Life Celebration to commemorate this part of Helen's journey will held in Geneseo at the Central Presbyterian Church, 31 Center Street, on Wednesday, December 7, 2011, starting at 11 AM. A subsequent Life Celebration is planned for Wilmington, DE on January 8, 2012, at First & Central Presbyterian Church.