Susan Kay Foster

Susan Kay Foster was born on January 1, 1955 in Hartford, Kentucky and entered into the arms of the Lord on July 20, 2022 in Largo, Florida. She was preceded in death by her mother, Wanell Foster (d. 2017), and she is survived by her daughter, Hannah Foster, and her soon-to-be-born grandson, Kai Foster. Susan lived a full and enriched life but passed away after fiercely battling pancreatic cancer for over a year and a half.

As a child, Susan was a girl scout and participated in track and field in high school. She graduated from the University of Louisville with a BS in psychology, and at one point pursued a PhD in educational psychology at the University of California, inspired by working with youth (some of her favorite stories were of her time working at a daycare). She shifted career paths and worked in middle management at the US Postal Service, where she helped people with their retirements. She made many life-long friends from work until her own retirement in the early 2000s.

Susan was a devoted daughter and mother, whose greatest joy was spending time with Wanell and Hannah. She loved to travel around the globe with her family and visited almost every continent and state within the US. Some of her favorite destinations included Hawaii and China, as well as many Eastern and Western European Countries. She loved to share some crazy stories from her adventures on the Trans-Siberian, and of the unique and unforgettable experiences she had in countries such as Algeria, India, Kenya, and Mongolia. She filled her home with treasures from her travels, including photographs that she took and framed. She even decorated her Christmas tree with ornaments from all the places she visited.

She and her mother, Wanell, eventually settled down in Seminole, Florida, where she adopted and raised Hannah to continue the line of strong, independent women. When she wasn't traveling with her family, Susan enjoyed drawing and painting, listening to her daughter practice classical piano, and visiting with friends. She was also adroit with crafts, which ranged from origami to quilting. Some of her favorite foods included hamburgers, Italian ice, and pineapples. Besides water, her favorite drink was diet coke.

Even though she was a world traveler and made friends from around the globe, she never forgot her roots and made an impact wherever she went. She and Wanell were distinguished Honorable Kentucky Colonels ("the commission of Kentucky Colonel is the highest title of honor bestowed by the Governor of Kentucky") and were in the Who's Who series consecutively for many years.

Susan lived a life of selfless service; she volunteered at her church, at Hannah’s various extracurriculars, and at Random Acts of Flower. She was fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) and an interpreter for the deaf. She was also a generous supporter of organizations that help children and young adults flourish (some of her favorites were Reach Out Ministries and Student Leadership University).

More important than what she did was who she was, which shone through in the lives she touched. Susan was very kind and gracious; she was the first to help friends and neighbors with moral support, words of wisdom, giving them a ride, or providing a place to stay for those in need, including those she had befriended in foreign countries.

Susan had a beautiful smile, a contagious laugh, witty sense of humor, sage advice, and a warm, giving heart. She will be missed dearly by the many people who loved her.

A service celebrating her life will be held on Tuesday, July 26, 2022 at Serenity Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 12-2 PM and the service from 2-3 PM. All are welcome.