Jan Foster

When reflecting on the life of Janet “Jan” Foster, there is one word that seems to be repeatedly woven throughout her tapestry of time – the word love. In every word and deed, she shared her love with her family and friends, the people she considered to be her greatest gifts and blessings. A cherished wife, mother, grandmother and friend, Jan lived her life with a giving spirit and a heart that never emptied itself of love.

The year 1940 was a time of change and growing tensions for the world. While Americans, still greatly unaware of the tragedy abroad, were enjoying their first McDonald’s hamburger at a stand in Pasadena, California, Europeans were bracing themselves for Hitler’s invasion of France, Luxemburg, Denmark, The Netherlands and Belgium. For Ernal and Eleanor (Cushing) Hambright of Kalamazoo, Michigan, the biggest news of 1940 was the birth of their first child. On March 9, 1940, the couple welcomed their beautiful daughter, Janet, into the world. Later, she became the doting big sister to her baby brother, Robert, who completed the Hambright household.

Jan, as she was called, enjoyed a typical childhood of the time growing up in the Portage area and attending the Portage Public Schools. Her father earned a living working for a chemical company, while her mother was a traditional homemaker. Although a shy young lady, Jan was a good student and active in several clubs in high school. She graduated from Portage High in 1958, and shortly thereafter started a longtime career at Upjohn, working in Clinical Packaging.

In the summer of 1957, a wonderful thing happened to Jan – she met the love of her life, Bernie Foster, while visiting her aunt and uncle at Barton Lake. Bernie, a 1956 graduate of Vicksburg High School and neighbor to her aunt and uncle, had just bought a brand new red and white Ford Fairlane and offered to take Jan for a ride – and as they say, the rest is history. The two fell in love and were happily married a year later on September 20, 1958, in Vicksburg followed by a reception at his parents’ house on the lake. After a romantic honeymoon at Niagara Falls, the newlyweds bought a house on Barton Lake, and it wasn’t long before they heard the pitter patter of three children: Sonda (1959), Laurie (1962) and Randall (1963), running around the house. Jan exemplified all the wonderful things a mother should be – patient, caring and generous with her time. She took an active role in every phase of her children’s lives – uplifting them in the hard times and cheering them in their triumphs. Family was always first in her heart.

Besides being a devoted wife and mother, Jan worked for Upjohn for 22 years (and even took time off to raise her kids) before retiring as a Group Leader in 1995. Her husband, Bernie, also worked at Upjohn as a Production Supervisor and retired in 1992. Prior to retirement they enjoyed traveling to warm, tropical places like the Caribbean, Hawaii, Florida and the Cayman Islands, which was their all-time favorite vacation spot. At home, Jan and Bernie loved to spend time at their cottage on a lake near Baldwin, where they hosted many memorable family get-togethers over the years. Jan usually participated in the activities in and around the water, she loved to sit back and see the happy faces of her loved ones. She also enjoyed encountering wildlife around the lake and cottage. When their kids were younger they enjoyed camping with family and friends.

Whether at the cottage or at her primary home on Austin Lake (where they moved to in 1990), everyone who came to visit always felt right at home in her house. As a couple, Jan and Bernie were very sociable and had some close friends that they took trips and spent holidays with over the years. Jan also enjoyed exercise classes with her good friend, Kathy Moore, for the last several years. For her listening pleasure, she enjoyed the music of Elvis and Josh Groban, perhaps while keeping her hands busy with some crocheting and knitting. What gave Jan the greatest joy in life was sharing herself with her family and friends, offering them the most precious thing she possessed – her time. It is a gift none of them will ever forget.

Sadly, Jan was diagnosed with lung cancer in the fall of 2009, and lost her battle to this disease on Thursday, June 3, 2010, at Rose Arbor Hospice in Kalamazoo, Michigan at the age of 70 while surrounded by her loving family.

A Life Story Service will be celebrated on Tuesday, June 8, at 6:00 p.m. at the Life Story Funeral Home, Betzler, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (375-2900) followed by a reception in the Life Story Center. Jan was preceded in death by her parents. Surviving is her husband of 51 years, Bernie Foster; 3 children: Sonda Vickery, Laurie Ivens and Randall (Linda) Foster; 5 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren; a brother, Robert Hambright; and many nieces and nephews. Please visit Jan’s personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory or photo with her family or sign her online guest book before coming to the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan.