A family is remembering Grenville Foster from Stowmarket, a husband, father and grandfather who truly was one of a kind.
Over the course of his life, Grenville wore many hats - literally as well as figuratively.
From working as a part-time a fireman in America to a dedicated funeral director to a carer for Stephen Hawking, it seemed that there was nothing he could not turn his hand to.
However, Grenville’s family will remember him best as the fun-loving, sharp-witted ’Gramps’ who loved to dress up as Father Christmas for his 13 grandchildren.
“The best word to describe Grenville is quirky,” said his wife of almost 43 years, Hilary. “He was a joker, a real character, and he could always find the fun in things.
“He was a family man at heart.”
Grenville was born in Nottingham on June 5, 1949. As young children, he and his younger sister were adopted by Peggy and Eddie Foster.
Grenville’s father was head of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, which meant that the family moved around frequently. They eventually settled in Hertfordshire, where Grenville spent most of his childhood.
As a young man, Grenville moved across the pond to California, where he attended university and kept a job as a part-time fireman.
After five years in the Golden State, Grenville was ready to return to England. He moved to London and began working for the Metropolitan Police’s legal service.
It was in London that he met Hilary, then a student. The couple quickly fell in love, and tied the knot in 1980. They welcomed four children together, Felicity, Alex, Michael and Sarah.
Hilary and Grenville moved to Peterborough to begin their married life, where Grenville began working for the Peterborough Development Corporation, a council housing project.
They then moved to Ipswich, where Grenville became a manager at Hanover Court, a supported living complex for older people.
He then embarked on a career change, and became a deputy manager at Hilltop House in Bury St Edmunds, which cares for people with disabilities.
“Even the managers there did a lot of caring for residents,” explained Hilary.
“For about six months, Grenville cared for Stephen Hawking.”
Professor Hawking, the well-known physicist, cosmologist and Theory of Everything author died in 2018.
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In 1995, Grenville’s father died. The loss hit Grenville hard, and he found himself looking for a new purpose.
So, he made yet another career change, and began working for L Fulcher’s Funeral Directors in Bury St Edmunds.
Here, Grenville threw himself into doing good for his community. He spearheaded fundraising events for the East Anglian Air Ambulance Service, the lifeboat station at Mersea, and local nursing homes and a primary school.
He was most proud to have established a Service of Remembrance in St Mary’s Church, Bury St Edmunds - a special church service dedicated to the memory of those who had died during the previous year.
He organised the annual service for three years. However, it proved so popular that he handed it over to churches in Bury, so that all bereaved families could come together.
“He said this was the best thing he’d ever done,” said Hilary. “It used to bring a tear to his eye, thinking something he started had touched so many people.”
Grenville retired in 2010, but wasn’t ready to give up work just yet. He took a job as a greeter at Asda in Stowmarket, and quickly became a favourite amongst the customers.
After Grenville retired for good, he enjoyed exploring France with Hilary.
“He always said he didn’t need to speak French,” laughed Hilary. “He left that to me.”
Grenville was also thrilled to become a grandfather, and loved making every Christmas special for his family by dressing up as Father Christmas.
He loved to experiment in the kitchen, and was known to put on a spectacular buffet each year for family and friends.
After a long illness, Grenville Foster died peacefully in West Suffolk Hospital in on March 16.
He is survived by his wife, Hilary, their four children and 13 grandchildren.
To read more tributes to those we have loved and lost in Suffolk, click here.
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