Funeral services for Alvin Foster will be 2:00 p.m. Saturday, January 22 at Hanceville Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow at Colony Cemetery. Visitation will be at Hanceville Funeral Home from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Please practice social distancing while attending services.
Mr. Alvin Julius Foster, affectionately known as Al, was born on December 1, 1944 to the late Robert (Bob) and the late Hattie Ayers Foster in Hanceville, Alabama.
He grew up in the community of Colony. He graduated from Alabama Lutheran Academy and College – Selma, Alabama in 1962. While attending school in Selma, he met Martha Bodley, his future wife.
He attended Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee and majored in Business Education. While attending TSU, he volunteered for the service and enlisted in the 82nd Airborne Division.
During the summer, he visited his sister Juanita Ivy and worked in Gary Indiana. Once again, he had an opportunity to reconnect with Martha Bodley and they were married in 1965.
Alvin enjoyed his time working in various businesses meeting many lawyers, physicians and insurance agents as he worked in insurance and finance investments. He served as representative with various companies located in Grand Rapids Michigan including Centennial Trading Company, First Resource Financial Services, Corporate Financial Services, Foremost Insurance Group, Arms Malcolm Insurance Agency and John Hancock Financial Services. Also, he worked at J.C. Penney and was instrumental in his brother being employed by J.C. Penney in Cullman, Alabama.
Alvin possessed many leadership skills. He served on the Board of Regents for Concordia College in Selma, Alabama for several years. While living in Grand Rapids, MI, he served as president of his church congregation, Redeemer Lutheran Church.
He received a prestigious award from the Board of Mortuary Science which was presented by the Honorable John Engler, Governor of Michigan.
In 2006, his mother’s health began to fail. Alvin returned home to help care for her. Mama Hattie passed away on October 23, 2006. He remained in Alabama and continued to pursue his business venture by opening a restaurant at Exit 291. In 2007, Martha retired, joined him in Colony and they built a beautiful new home. They transferred their church affiliation to Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hanceville, Alabama.
Alvin was preceded in death by his parents; his two brothers: David Foster (an infant brother) and Allen Wilson (died February 23, 2002) and a sister: Juanita Ivy (died March 20, 1989).
He leaves to cherish the joys of his life a devoted wife of 56 years: Martha Bodley Foster; a son: Leonard (Lynn) Foster of Greenbrier, TN the “greatest grandson”: Michael Foster of Phoenix Arizona; a brother-in-law: Rev. Arthur Bodley of Pensacola, Florida; a sister-in-law: Centennial Lewis of Pensacola, Florida and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
