Leah Foster

Obituary of Leah Foster

Leah Rainville Foster of Hilton Head died on February 2nd, 2018 at Brookdale Hilton Head Court where she resided for the last four years. Leah coped with the syndromes of Alzheimer’s disease for almost fifteen years. Leah was born on November 1st, 1941 in Beverly, Massachusetts to the late Charles W. Rainville, Jr. and the late Marie Nash Rainville. After Leah graduated from Beverly High School, she attended Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. She earned her bachelor’s degree and attended graduate school at Sacramento State University, Sacramento, California. She moved with her family to the U.S. Territory of Guam and then relocated to Tokyo, Japan and later to Manila, Republic of the Philippines. Upon return to the United States, she completed her career with the Xerox Corporation from which she retired in 2001. Leah’s primary customer was the United States Navy. As a young woman, Leah worked in experimental psychology at the Harvard School of Public Health. Her work there produced two published papers pertaining to Astronaut Claustrophobia. She taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Guam. While living in Japan, she owned and operated an independent life insurance agency catering to the expatriate community. Leah is survived by her loving husband Thomas P. Foster of Hilton Head, daughter Jennifer Price Maggi of Los Angeles, daughter Susan E. Price of Los Angeles, grandchildren Kevin and Kierra Maggi of Los Angeles, step-son Thomas P. Foster Jr. of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, step-daughter Heather Foster of Millersville, Pennsylvania, sister Nancy Rainville of Sag Harbor, New York and former husband David L. Price of Walterboro, South Carolina. Her brother, Rodman Rainville is deceased. Leah was a life member of the Navy League of the United States. She was the first female president of a local council of the League. She was a member of the Yacht Club of Hilton Head and Sea Pines Country Club at the time of her passing. Earlier in her life she was active in many other clubs and organizations, among them the Guam Chamber of Commerce, the Marianas Yacht Club, the Sumay Cove Yacht Club, the Tokyo American Club and the Manila Polo Club. Leah was an accomplished yachtswoman, racing from the age of eleven until her health gave way. Most of her racing took place in the Pacific Ocean off Guam and in the Atlantic Ocean off Marble Head, Massachusetts. She also was an avid skier enjoying the slopes in the Sierras near her home in Tahoe City, California and in Japan on many of the slopes there. She assisted her daughters in Guam caring for and riding their horses. In Manila, she rode every morning (except Sundays) at the Manila Polo Club. Leah’s remains were cremated. Her ashes will be interred in the Atlantic Ocean. A memorial service and celebration of Leah’s life will be held on Tuesday, February 13, 2018 at 11 am at The Island Funeral Home with a luncheon to follow at the Yacht Club of Hilton Head Island, Palmetto Bay. In lieu of flowers, donations to Memory Matters, P.O. Box 22330, Hilton Head, SC, 29925 will be appreciated.
A Memorial Tree was planted for Leah
We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ the staff at The Island Funeral Home & Crematory
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