Richard (Dickie) Conway Foster of Granite Falls, NC, passed away unexpectedly February 27, 2023, at Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory, NC. He was born February 20, 1938, to the late John Conway Foster and Dorothy Raymer Foster Young in Caldwell County, where he lived for 50 years of his life.
In addition to his parents, Dick was preceded in death by his brother, Jerry Lee Foster; his father- and mother-in- law, Glen and Irene Hensley; and a number of aunts, uncles, and cousins.
He is survived by his wife of nearly 32 years, Glenda Hensley Foster of the home; his children, Cindy (Mario) Foster Gomes of Alpharetta, Georgia; Sam (Sonia) Foster of Newton; Leslie Foster of Hickory; and Aron (Becky) Hall of Youngsville; grandchildren, Nick and Katie Foster of Charlotte; JP, Ellie, Abbie, and Reagan Hall of Youngsville; his brother, Keith (Barbara) Foster of Granite Falls; his sister, Betty (Dennis) Witherspoon of Longs, SC; an aunt, Ruby Raymer of Jacksonville, Florida; and many other relatives.
A standout football player for Coach Don (“Red”) Kirkpatrick at Granite Falls High School for five years (his 8th-12th grades), Richard or “Dickie,” as he was known then (and now by many) was selected to play in the 1955 Shrine Bowl Classic. He shocked his coaches by running the 40-yard dash at such an incredible speed that they made him run it again.
Even though Dick received offers from a number of D-1 colleges, he chose Lenoir-Rhyne because he was given one of the first full scholarships for a football player there. Coach Stas warned his players before every practice, “Nobody’d better touch Frostie,” his nickname for Dick. “He’s too expensive.” And no one ever did. In fact, the only real injury Dick suffered was caused, not by another player but by himself, when he twisted his knee returning a punt. That nearly career-ending injury sidelined him for most of his senior year.
Following graduation from L-R in the spring of 1960, Dick was hired as an assistant football coach and social studies teacher at Statesville Senior High School. He became an immediate favorite with his players and students, who, to this day, can recall their favorite moment in his class. Teaching a world history class for senior academically-gifted students, “Mr. Foster” called the area between the Tigres and Euphrates rivers “Mes-o-pot-a-mi-a.” One of his braver students raised his hand and, very respectfully, offered a correction. “Coach, I believe it’s pronounced ‘Mes-o-po-tam-i-a.’” Not missing a beat, he replied, “Yes, but I’m using the ‘I-tal-ian’ pronunciation.”
From Statesville, Dick moved to West Iredell as head football coach for two years before beginning a long teaching and coaching career at Bandys High School. During his fourteen years at Bandys, he coached football, track and field, and girls’ basketball, as well as spending some time as assistant principal. As with all his other coaching assignments, his talent at bringing a struggling football team to prominence in a few years resulted in conference championships for the Bandys Trojans. While there, Dick became lifelong friends with Randy Faucette, who student-taught under him and another legendary coach, Bill Bost.
In the fall of 1978, Coach Foster, along with Coach Faucette, was brought to Fred T. Foard High School, infamous for having years of losing football teams. There, another lifelong friendship developed and deepened over many years with another true legend, Jerry Copas. In only three years, the Tigers were winning conference championships and, in 1982, won a state championship against SW Guilford in the tier-2 bracket.
After nine seasons at Foard, Coach Foster was asked to go to St. Stephens High School to turn around the football program there. He did, twice taking the Indians to conference playoffs.
Retiring from the classroom in 1993, Coach Foster coached several more years before leaving coaching, as well. After only a year away, he was asked to join the coaching staff at his alma-mater where he coached running backs for five years. His second retirement was final, though he continued teaching driver’s education until 2011.
After spending 33 years as a classroom teacher, 45 as a coach, and 51 as a driver’s education instructor, Richard (Dickie) Foster’s sphere of influence can never be fully measured. Thousands of students, players, colleagues, parents, fans, sports writers, etc. have been touched by him. While he received many accolades as a coach and player, including his induction into both the Caldwell County Sports Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Catawba County Sports Hall of Fame in 2008, his greatest accomplishment was in living his life joyfully—considering work as play, not having “rabbit ears” as a coach, making practices fun for his players and coaches, telling silly stories and jokes 0ver and over and over and…, making up even sillier songs, not allowing what happened “yesterday” to affect his “today,” not holding grudges, liking and accepting everybody, and instantly forgiving those who “trespassed against” him.
His philosophy of life was lived out in every aspect of it. He never wavered from it. Would that we could all live as if “every day’s a holiday, and every night’s a Saturday night.” What a wonderful world it would be!
Services for Richard (Dickie) C. Foster will be held Monday, March 20, 2023, at First Baptist Church Granite Falls at 12 Crestview Street, with Pastor Jay Worsley officiating. The family will receive friends beginning at 1:30 with the memorial service at 4:00. Coaching colleagues and former players are invited to sit together, as well as the 1956 Class of Granite Falls High School.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dick’s memory to the Lenoir-Rhyne University’s Bears Club at P. O. Box 7280, Hickory, NC 28603.