Mary Lee Foster, 101, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, in Dallas, Texas. Mary was born on March 25, 1922, in Dallas, to Mattie Lee and Edward Briscoe Kolp. Mary graduated from Sunset High School in Oak Cliff and attended North Texas Agricultural College (NTAC), now the University of Texas at Arlington, from 1940-1944.

At NTAC, she met James "Jim" Hugh Foster, Jr. and they became college sweethearts. They married in 1943, just before Jim left to attend Texas A&M and join the United States Army. Jim returned from World War II in 1945 and graduated from Texas A&M in 1946.

Mary's parents were deaf, so she was fluent in American Sign Language. She passed on her knowledge to her sons and granddaughter and they loved signing together throughout the years.

The Methodist Church was five blocks from her childhood home, and her father Edward would drive her and her sister to church services and return to pick them up. As a result, she was a lifelong Methodist.

After college and while Jim was serving in the war, Mary worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. She enjoyed going to Neiman Marcus on her lunch hour to admire the fashions. Mary belonged to The Stocking Club, a shortlist of women who were notified when new inventory was available, as hosiery was hard to come by in war times. Her classic sense of style served as inspiration for many, including granddaughter Shelby.

When Jim returned from active duty, they lived in Dallas, Austin, Waxahachie, Texas City and then Oak Cliff, where they lived for 20 years before retiring to Ennis, Texas. Mary was an active resident at CC Young in Dallas for the final decade of her life.

Avid boaters, Mary and Jim were charter members of the United States Power Squadron's District 21, which included Texas and Louisiana. The United States Power Squadron is a national boating organization dedicated to the education and safety of boating.

They were also members of the American Quarter Horse Association and loved raising horses on the Foster family ranch in Ellis County. Established in 1896 and recognized by the State of Texas for a century or more of continuous ownership, the ranch is still in operation today.

Mary was an unwavering source of strength for her family throughout her long life and was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother. She is survived by son Steven Foster and wife Elizabeth of Dallas, son David Foster and wife Beth of Trumbull, and granddaughter Shelby Foster of Dallas, the joy of her life.

She was preceded in death by husband of 67 years Jim Foster, sister Ruth and husband Jack Strong, brother Edward Kolp, and parents Mattie and Edward Kolp.

Friends and family are welcome to attend an inurnment on Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 11:00 a.m., at the Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery with Pastor Carl Freeto officiating. A reception will be held immediately following. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to CC Young online at www.ccyoung.org/donate-now/ or via mail to CC Young, 4847 West Lawther Drive, Dallas, Texas 75215, Attn: Mindy Hail, or a charity of your choosing. The family wishes to thank the employees of CC Young for providing Mary with such loving care for many years.

Submitted by family