Gregory Brell Foster

Gregory Brell Foster, aged 39, of Columbia, South Carolina passed away on April 29, 2023. He is survived by his wife Ashley, son Hampton, parents Jane and Brell Foster, sister Melissa Foster (Will Yeck, children: Mae and Ida), parents-in-law Sig and Patsy Tanner, sister-in-law Shannon Bozard (Jay, children: Tanner, Taylor, and Walker), his dear dog Charlie, and numerous people who loved him.

Greg was a lifelong resident of South Carolina and dearly loved this state. He grew up in the suburbs of Columbia, in the neighborhood of Whitehall. As a child, he was active in local soccer leagues, resulting in many lifelong friendships. He graduated from Irmo High School in 2001, where he played on the JV and Varsity soccer teams. Winning the state soccer title in 2000 was a moment of shared triumph with many friends that was never forgotten.

Greg grew up within a community of close family friends who were, in essence, his extended family. This community further grew when he entered the University of South Carolina (USC) and joined the Kappa Sigma fraternity. The great camaraderie among his fraternity brothers and his friendships at USC will always be remembered by his family. While at USC, Greg met the love of his life, Ashley, and gained another wonderful family and network of friends.

Following graduation from USC in 2005, Greg was employed at McAlister Communications in Columbia before he entered a position that proved to be a true passion: his service as Communication Director to the Speaker of the House of Representatives of South Carolina. As Communications Director, and then later as the Deputy Chief of Staff, Greg distinguished himself as a speech writer. Greg took great pride in his work and was honored with House Resolution SC H3922, recognizing his service. Following his departure from state government in 2015, Greg opened Foster Strategic Communications, LLC, a public relations firm. In 2018 he joined Push Digital, a Charleston-based marketing firm, as the leader of their legislative advocacy in Columbia.

Greg Foster was a true character. He was witty, intelligent, and loved a great debate. On weekends, he was frequently found cheering on his beloved Gamecocks. In his 20s and early 30s, Greg was an avid outdoorsman and hunter. He loved scuba diving. He was an incredibly social person and thrived in a crowd of friends. The great joys of his life included his wedding to Ashley and the birth of his son Hampton. Following Hampton’s birth, Greg stated he was “embarking on the greatest adventure of life.” He truly loved his family.

Toward the end of his life, Greg’s mental health suffered. While he was successful at hiding his illness from his friends and family, it is with the utmost despair that we share that this illness proved fatal. In lieu of flowers, we request donations in Greg’s memory to the National Alliance on Mental Illness-South Carolina (https://namisc.org/).

A memorial service for Greg will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, May 7, 2023, at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel. A celebration of life will be held immediately following the service, at The Rockbridge Club, 4135 Rockbridge Rd, Columbia, SC 29206.

There will also be a livestream of the memorial service at https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/5145835744.