Margaret Foster

Dixie Foster, born Margaret Watts Gray, passed away peacefully on December 13, 20ll, at 96 years. She received the nickname, Dixie, from her loving husband, Gordon. She was from the South, Dixieland, and he was from the North, a “Yankee.” She was his Dixie. To her children and her grandchildren, she was Mom, Granny, Grandma, or Chicken, an endearing nickname she received from being the shortest one in the family and the children's tale of Chicken Little. Dixie was born in Norfolk, Virginia on August 7, 1915 to Jesse Irvine Gray and William Henry Gray. She was their fifth child of six children. Their names were Emily, Billy, Elizabeth, John, and Eddie. She has survived them all, the last of her generation. She came from a long line of nurses, doctors, lawyers, and judges. Dixie followed in their footsteps and became a nurse. While practicing her profession at the VA in Bath, New York, she met her husband, Gordon. One of her favorite stories is why no other young men would not ask her on a date in Bath because she was Gordon's girlfriend. Her reply was that she could date anyone because she did not have a ring on her finger. She has always been “spunky” and forthright. She did get that ring in Fort Sill, Oklahoma with a husband in uniform at artillery school and soon thereafter, the Army sent Gordon to serve in the artillery at the Battle of the Bulge and along the Elbe River during World War II. He was a member of the Railsplitters. During the time period of Gordon's entrance into the army and tours of duty overseas, the couple had two wonderful sons, Gordon and Edward. At the end of the war, Gordon returned and went to work for the Grand Union Grocery store in New York City designing stores. The owner of the company offered Gordon the opportunity to bring the concept of supermarkets to Texas. He spoke with Dixie and she said she would go if there was a river. She has always loved flowing water. He said that El Paso had the Rio Grande River. That brings a smile to all of their children. The “Grande” river was not quite what they imagined. Dixie gave birth to two more children in El Paso, Margaret and Nancy. Gordon and Dixie strongly believed in a good education for their children and service to the community. Values they instilled in their children. Dixie dedicated her life to serving her family and was quite the Mother Tiger when necessary. She was also quite the comic and had the courage to speak her mind. Her greatest joy in life were her children, her grandchildren, and her great grandchildren. In 1981, Gordon and Dixie purchased a picture framing business where she continued to work into her ninety’s. She is survived by her children, Gordon Foster, Edward Foster (Jane), Margaret Howard, Nancy Arias (Robert); grandchildren, Matthew Howard (Nicci), William Foster (Rachel), April Howard Gentry (Eric), Susannah Foster Weaver (Kenyon), Jessica Foster (Emil), Analise Hagstrom (Michael), Jeremy Arias (Rebekah), Amber Arias Hawkins (Jonathan), and Eric Arias (Elizabeth); great grandchildren, Jacob , Trudi , Lucy , and Lilah Foster, Eli Weaver, Henry Hagstrom, Micah and Morgan Howard, Emma Gentry, Emley Hawkins, Jori Arias, Hannah Knox Arias. She will be dearly missed by all. The family also owes a debt of gratitude to Elsa and Nora and to her daughter Margaret for their assistance in the fine care of Dixie in the final years of her long life. In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations to SmileTrain or Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children, San Antonio, TX. Smile Train –http://smiletrain.org/ Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children, San Antonio, TX – http://www.sunshinecottage.org/WaysToGive/How ToGive.aspx A prayer service will be held at 9:00 a.m., Monday, December 19, 2011 at Sunset Funeral Home-West. Interment to follow at Ft. Bliss National Cemetery at 10:30 a.m. Services entrusted to Sunset Funeral Home-West. Please visit our online register book www.sunsetfuneralhomes.net