Richard Foster Obituary

Richard Wayne Foster of Beech Bluff, Tennessee passed away on June 10, 2025 at his home surrounded by family and friends at the age of 79. He was a dedicated teacher, fierce coach, life-long athlete, and loyal friend for so many. His passions in life were his family, sportsmanship through hunting and fishing, and playing cards with friends. He loved a good joke and a good story. He dedicated his life to the education and enrichment of the youth in the communities where he lived through mentorship and being a role model to them. Over the years, many of his former basketball and football players have shared with his family how much he meant to them some even crediting him as a significant father figure in their lives.
Coach Foster was born on June 1, 1946 in Milan, Tennessee. He grew up in Trezevant, Tennessee as the only child of Jamie and Fannie Foster. His true passion was basketball, and he was a star in high school, scoring over 1,300 career points, was named to All-District, All-Region, and Third-Team All-State teams. His dedication earned him a basketball scholarship to Bethel College, where he played and earned his B.S. in education. At Bethel, he also met and fell in love with his wife and soul mate, Kaye Carter. They married during their senior year in college. He subsequently obtained his master's degree in education from The University of Tennessee-Martin.
His first position out of college was at Lexington High School, where he coached and taught for 22 years, serving as the girls' head basketball coach as well as an assistant football coach. Subsequently, he took the head girls' basketball coaching position at Jackson Northside where he continued and then completed his career as a coach and educator, leading the girls' varsity basketball team to the state tournament in 1992. He was voted Coach of the Year by the Tennessee Athletic Coaches Association in 1984 and 1986, The Jackson Sun Coach of the year 1983-1984, and District Coach of the Year 1984, 1987, and 1988.
Richard and Kaye retired from coaching/teaching the same year and began their next phase of life together. Their priorities were mainly spending time with family, including their four grandchildren, friends, and traveling as much as they could. Their favorite trips were spent on Royal Caribbean cruises sharing meals at the captain's table and visiting new coastal destinations, making new friends along the way. Richard was a fiercely loyal friend and confidant to those that knew him well; a man of the highest integrity.
Richard was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Kaye, in October 2024. He is survived by his daughter, Charity Elizabeth Foster (Bill) McConnell of Brentwood, Tennessee, his son Richard Ryan (April) Foster of Jackson, Tennessee, four grandchildren Foster McConnell, Nolan Foster, Logan Foster, and Lila Kate Foster.
Funeral services will be held on Sunday, June 15th, 3:00pm at First Baptist Church in Lexington, Tennessee. Visitations will be held on Thursday, June 12th from 4:00pm to 5:30pm at Reed's Chapel and Sunday, June 15th from 1:00pm to 3:00pm at First Baptist Church. In addition, Coach Foster always told his children that he wanted an "Irish wake" at the end of his life. His children would like to honor this wish with a celebration of life for Coach. Please join us Thursday, June 12th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at Pine Tree Country Club in Lexington, Tennessee after the visitation to tell your favorite Kaye and Richard stories and toast to an exemplary life well-lived.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.