Dorothy Jane Foster of Downingtown

Dorothy Jane Foster passed away peacefully on July 25, 2016. A resident of Downingtown for over four decades, Dorothy was a longtime Chester County civic leader with a heart for young people and lifelong commitment to building and maintaining high quality community recreation facilities in recognition of their importance to American families.

Dorothy was born in Youngstown, Ohio in 1933 to Charles Robert Weaver and Helen Jane Weaver. She was a graduate of Ursuline Academy and attended the Ohio State University where she majored in Journalism and was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority. In her post-college years, she worked for television station WFMJ in Youngstown where she was cowgirl “Cactus Katie” on a local children’s program in the early days of TV.

In 1956, Dorothy and her family moved to Orange, New Jersey where she was President of the Heywood Avenue School PTA and served on the parent advisory boards at Newark Academy and Seton Hall Preparatory School. Serving as Cub Scout Den Mother (alongside her husband Al, the Cubmaster) she was also a news reporter for the Orange School District. While there, Mrs. Foster chaired the War on Drugs program, the Parent Protection Home program and served on the new high school building committee.

She and her family moved to Downingtown in 1973, where, she served as President of the Uwchlan Hills School PTO, Chairman of the Downingtown Think Tank Committee for the Downingtown School District High School building program, was a trustee on the Downingtown Educational Foundation and Editor of the Lionville Junior High Newsletter. She was a Den Mother (again, alongside her husband Al, the Cubmaster) for Pack 221 for six years, a merit badge counselor, an Eagle Scout advisor and head of Scouting Roundtables of training for Chester County Boy Scouts of America.

Mrs. Foster was the Administrative Vice President of the Lionville Youth Association from 1975 to 2015 and acted as foreman on the development of Lionville Park. For over 40 years, she was responsible for field development, insurance, the concession stand, field maintenance equipment, sponsors and was editor of the LYA Newsletter. She served as a consultant for the development of many local area baseball fields and gardens in Uwchlan Township. She also served as Council President for the Gunning Lane Townhouse Association from 1996 to 2014. In addition, she was a member of the Chester County Park and Recreation Board from 1994 to 2012 where she served as Recreation Chairman. She was named International Volunteer of the Year by Little League International in 2005 and was honored to have busloads of area residents in attendance to cheer her on as she threw out the first pitch during that year’s Little League World Series in Williamsport.

She enjoyed the friendship of her eight “bridge buddies” for over 25 years, playing team tennis at Pennypacker Country Club, making Christmas ornaments as a fundraiser for the Downingtown High School band, but mostly, she enjoyed cutting the grass at Lionville Park.

Dorothy is survived by her sons Bob and his wife Nancy of Williamsburg, Virginia and John and his wife Kathleen of St. Peters, Missouri. Her legacy also includes two adult grandchildren: Robert Thompson and his wife Jessica of Richmond, Virginia and Susan Thompson and her husband Alex Slater of Brooklyn, New York, two young grandchildren: Jacquelene and Jaq Foster of St. Peters, Missouri and three great grandchildren, Elizabeth, Nathaniel and Luke Thompson of Richmond, Virginia. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 52 years, Alfred B. Foster, an infant sister Eleanor in 1930, her father C. Robert “Buck” Weaver in 1943, her mother Helen Jane Weaver in 1953 and her sister, Carol McMacken in 2005 - all of Youngstown, Ohio.

Above all, Dorothy left a legacy of a life well lived and a family well loved.

A memorial service will be held at the James J. Terry Funeral Home 736 E. Lancaster Ave, Downingtown at 3 pm on Saturday, July 30, 2016. The family will receive friends immediately following the service in the picnic pavilion at Lionville Park. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Dorothy’s most beloved orga- nization and proudest professional accomplishment, the Lionville Youth Association, P.O. 475, Lionville, PA. 19335.

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