Mattie Lena Foster

Mattie Lena Foster was born in Fort Worth, Texas on Sunday September the 13th 1936 to Raymond Earl and Lenora Estelle (Viard) Newby. Mattie (Memmy) peacefully made the transition to her Heavenly home surrounded by family in Fort Worth, Texas on Wednesday February the 15th, 2023.

Mattie grew up on the southside of Fort Worth with her parents and older brother Chuck (Red) Newby. She attended Paschal High School and was a proud Panther participating in orchestra and the marching band.

Mattie’s young life changed for the better when she met her future husband, Bob Foster. Mattie was working part-time for Bill Foster’s Architecture firm when his younger brother, Bob, came home on leave from the military and stopped by the office. They had their first date on March 11th, 1954, and after the second date he said he was going to marry that girl! He made good on that promise, and they wed August the 15th, 1954.

This was a marriage that wasn’t supposed last. You see, Bob was an Arlington Heights Yellowjacket and Mattie was a Paschal Panther. If anyone knows Fort Worth history, they know these two schools were fierce rivals and hated each other. Somehow, they overcame this insurmountable obstacle and had 48 wonderful years together producing three kids before Bob’s passing on January 24th, 2003. They loved each other dearly and rarely if ever spent any time apart. Bob had an extended hospital stay in the early 1990’s of over 90 days and Mattie stayed with him every day all day, eating and sleeping at the hospital until his discharge home. That’s an example devotion and love and respect all rolled into one.

As a Mom, she rarely missed any of her three kids activities and sporting events. She continued that for her grandkids making as many as she possibly could of the baseball, softball, basketball games, as well as plays and other school programs. She was devoted to her kids and wouldn’t stand for any wrongdoing against them. Feisty red head is a good way to describe her, but, feisty may not be a strong enough word!

Mattie retired after 25 years with the Burleson Independent School District. She started out volunteering to help with recesses and PE at Nola Dunn, but, was eventually hired full-time as a para-professional working with the Vocational Adjustment Class at Burleson High School. This was where Mattie found her calling! She loved working with these children, especially, working on the Annual Spring Meet where kids from all around the area could come and compete in fun events and have a great experience. She recruited her family to participate, and we are all better for the experiences we had working this wonderful event.

Mattie was preceded in death by her husband Bob Foster, her parents, Raymond and Estelle Newby, her brother Charles (Red) Newby, her brother-in-law Bill Foster, her son-in-law Joe Agan and grandson Thomas Doyle Foster

Mattie is survived by her three children: Pennie (Foster) Agan, Buster Foster and wife Sandra, Tom Foster and wife Kelly along with her sister-in-law Betty Foster. Mattie is also survived by grandchildren Kristin Dickerson, Kallie (Foster) and Nathan Mutchler, Kandice (Foster) and Chad Collins, Tara (Agan) and Ryan Huffman, Katie (Agan) and Austin Dedmon, Summer (Foster) and Jacob Owen, BJ and Pashia Agan, Chase and Olivia Foster, Brandon Foster, Mallory (Foster) and Will Dunlap. Great-grandkids Jaxon, Mia and Joie Collins, Aubrey and Amelia Huffman, Cason and Luke Mutchler, Molly and Emma Dedmon, Lennyx and Ryder Owen and Adeline Agan. Mattie also had many loved nieces and nephews.

pallbearers:
BJ Agan, Chase Foster ,Brandon Foster, Nathan Mutchler, Austin Dedmon, Ryan Huffman, Jacob Owen, Will Dunlap, and Chad Collins.