Memories of Lee Foster | Ever Loved

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In memory of

Lee Foster

Fishers, Indiana, USA

March 24, 1957 - April 4, 2021

Mar 24, 1957 - Apr 4, 2021

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Joy and Chris Nicholson

I worked with Lee at Borders as well as my husband Chris. We are so very sorry to hear of her passing and send our condolences to Grace and Ruth. I absolutely loved Lee and really looked to her as a mentor. I was able to share so many fun moments with her during our shifts together. She was the first person Chris and I told that we were getting married. We have such great memories of her and are thinking of her family.

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Aggie Adkins

I have so many memories of hanging out with your Mom and both Ruth & Grace for many years when we worked at Borders. I’ll never forget all the great times we all had together. Lee will be sorely missed. Love to you both- Aggie

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Karen Newberry

Lee worked with my husband Tom at Technicolor and he absolutely loved her. I was fortunate to also get to know Lee over the years and really enjoyed talking with her. She had a kind heart and was so caring and hard working. We were so sad for her when she lost Eric, but she never complained. Lee was a friend for life and she will surely be missed. We enjoyed attending the memorial service today and hearing more about Lee's life. She will be missed by so many whose lives she touched. It's comforting to know that she is now with her beloved Eric and that her spirit will live on in the memories we all have. With love, Tom and Karen Newberry

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Grace Olson

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Shannon Reznik

So sorry Ruth and Grace. Your mom was a cool big sister-in-law. She always had that vibe of being a 70’s kid. So articulate, and enjoyed artsy stuff like me, and yeah, just cool. We will miss her.

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Grace Olson

Eileen Abbott

Ruth and Grace, wanted to send my deepest condolences for the loss of your Mom. We worked together at Borders, we all were a family. My last memory of your Mom and Dad hanging with us was a Super Bowl party at our house, Saints versus Colts, house divided. Great food (gumbo) and great company. She will be missed💚🖤

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Grace Olson

Susie Hover

So sorry to hear of Lee’s passing. She was probably the quietest Denney! Always a part of the family she will be missed. She has been reunited with her true love Eric, and in that we have solace.
Mike and Susie (Eric’s cousin)

So sorry to hear of the death of Lee Foster. She was a kind and gentle person. In an act of kindness Lee donated Eric’s shirts to be made into clothing for orphans in Africa by a church group in Florida. (Susie’s mother in law)
From Dianne Denney Holden (Eric’s aunt)

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Grace Olson

Lynne Shifriss

I’ve been going up to Carmel for several months to have “window visits” with my sister, Lee Foster, who was very ill and in rehab. On her birthday, March 24, I was able to visit her inside. We planned future visits when I would bring my knitting and we would watch old classic movies, which she loved. Jordie and I hoped she would come to Bloomington, so we could help her and visit her every day, and bring our twin 2-year-old granddaughters.

Lee and her late husband, Eric, were the kind of people who showed up early to help. She became a stepmom and brought Eric’s older kids to Boston for two weeks so that she could be there to help when Adam Shifriss was born.

In fact, she was backpacking around Europe by herself the summer I was about to have Amalia. We had just returned from the hospital with our new baby girl and early the following morning, the phone rang. Muttering “Who calls somebody who just had a baby ...” I answered. It was Lee, calling from Germany, saying “I had a feeling. Did you have the baby?” She hopped on the next plane to Boston.
I told her I was so envious of all the postcards from Europe. She told me that she would get a letter and pictures of my pregnant self at different postal centers and walk up to strangers, holding up pictures and saying “This is my sister! She’s having a baby!”

She got her IU degree in art, and dreamed of going to study with Dale Chiluly st the Rhode Island School of Design.

Many times, she would set off, driving her little car, Delores, all over.
Once, she was driving home from the East Coast and Delores had a flat tire. She pulled off the highway and the attendent at the filling station was drunk. So Lee got out the manual, studied how to change a flat tire, and did it.

On one of Lee’s trips to see her buddy Ivan Stillerman, she got off the train, alone, at Hoboken. Suddenly, she was surrounded by a gang of boys. She held up her camera and told them she was a photojournalist, and could she snap some pictures and get their names for the captions? And walked away, safe.

Lee and Eric were crazy about each other, and so she didn’t leave Indianapolis.

Later, she had her twins, Ruthie Denney and Grace Denney Olson.
Since we live with our two-year-old twin granddaughters and their mama — our Amalia Shifriss — Lee and I joked many times about her being a superwoman, twins at home alone!

And when her beloved Eric was sick for several years, her focus was him. He never spent a night alone in the hospital.

When our kids were here during winter break, they insisted on driving to Carmel with me, and Adam, Laura Borntraeger and Abby Shifriss stood in the slush, holding umbrellas, outside Lee’s window and told stories.

Abby would call my sis on her own, just to visit. I loved that.

Amalia was looking forward to sharing the twins with Lee.

Saturday, the day before she died, I talked to Lee about how I had booked myself to visit every Sunday morning for a couple months ahead. I had a bag of things she asked me for — a clock, some nuts, and I stopped and got her some little chocolate bunnies.

But on my way to Indy, Jordie called to tell me Lee had been taken to St. Vincent’s. She was unresponsive. She had sepsis. She had cardiac arrest and they did CPR. In intensive care, I was able to hold her hand and sing blessings, relate shared memories. I told her that her Eric was waiting for her. In the afternoon, she had a collapsed lung. They said I had to leave by 6.

I left, thinking I would return in the morning.

But the doctors said it was time to let her go. Amalia volunteered to drive me back to Indy.

But it was time. Parked at the Visitor’s Center, Amalia and I joined our family on Zoom as the nurse took away the ventilator. Gracie mentioned that Lee used to sing “Bye, Bye, Blackbird” as she brushed Gracie’s hair. Adam found the song quickly and played it over Zoom.

And then, my sis was gone.

She was 64.

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Erin Denney

Grace Olson

Comments:

David Ish

❤️❤️❤️ ❤️❤️❤️ ❤️❤️❤️

David Ish

Bloomington was magic. Condolences to family and friends. Love you Lee.

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Grace Olson

Carla Koertge

I met Lee years ago in Bloomington, when we both worked at a weird little publishing company. We became friends, and I always enjoyed her love of art, books, and especially movies! Through 40 years, we kept popping up in each other's lives -- we both worked at Waldenbooks, then Borders, and a wonderful coincidence, our kids ended up at elementary school together, where they became friends too. Always such fun memories of Ruth and Grace! So glad to have known Lee and her family and I feel their heartbreak -- she was such a devoted wife and mother and always a good friend. Love to you all.

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Grace Olson

Sue Kennedy

Lee and I worked together at Borders. While I did not know her well, it was easy to see that she loved her family very much. I know she would wish you peace, may her memory be a blessing.

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Grace Olson

Stephen Schenk

Ruth and Grace -

My deepest condolences for your loss. I know your mom touched so many with her loving nature and she will be missed. I feel lucky to have known her and to have gotten my fair share of her kindness throughout my childhood and beyond. I hope you find comfort in your own memories as well.

Lots of love from your cousin! I will see you next week, and you will be in my thoughts until then.

Stephen

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Grace Olson

Michelle Denney

Ruth and Grace,
We are so sorry about your mom.
Love and Hugs from all of us.

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Grace Olson

scott schenk

So very sorry for your loss. I'm thinking of you all!

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Grace Olson

Karen Schenk

Ruth and Grace - I am so sorry for your loss. I always enjoyed seeing Lee at family gatherings over the years and looked forward to catching up with her. She always had such a calming presence and kind smile. She will be dearly missed. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

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Grace Olson

Holly Schenk

I’ll always remember Lee as someone who made me feel welcome, from my very first visit to Indiana to meet everyone in the family. She was so kind, and I know her love will live on through her daughters, who both have that same trait as their mom.

Ruth and Grace - I am so very sorry for your loss. You will be in my thoughts. Sending all my love.

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Grace Olson

Chris Schenk

Ever since my earliest memories where we would spend every Christmas at your house, Lee always welcomed me with a great big hug and lots of love. She was calm in the chaos that made up all of the big, loud family gatherings and I never would have known spanakopita without her!

I am so sorry for your loss, cousins.
Chris

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Grace Olson

Comments:

Holly Schenk

Yes! Spanakopita. I had my first at the gathering to celebrate Eric’s life. ❤️ Yes! Spanakopita. I had my first at the gathering to celebrate Eric’s life. ❤️ Yes! Spanakopita. I had my first at the gathering to... Read more

Annie Schenk

Ruth and Grace,
Words are hard to come by to express the feelings I have for you right now. From my times at Marian College, visiting with Eric and Lee (I tested her early and often with the whole feet-stacking game) to our time as St. Monica parents and parishioners..to watching your mom support my brother in ways I could have only imagined possible, your mom cared deeply for those she loved. I am forever grateful to her for many things, both of you being at the top of the list.

I am so sorry for the loss of you mom.
Peace and love always-
Annie

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Grace Olson

Hannah Palsa

Ruth and Grace,

I am so very sorry for your loss. Your mother became something of a second mother to me throughout my time knowing her. She loved hearing my school updated and what was going on in my life. Coffee with her and my mother on Christmas Eve was one of my favorite traditions. I was so lucky to have known her for as long as I did. I will miss her terribly.

Love,
Hannah

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Grace Olson

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Created with love by Grace Olson (Lee's daughter).

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