Reathel Marie Brown Foster grew up on a small farm in the rural Higdon community. She was the daughter of the late Joe and the late Oma Brown. Reathel was proud to be the first in her family to finish high school. She graduated from Epworth High as salutatorian in 1944. She then moved to Dalton to work and attend night school. From the boarding house where she lived, Reathel walked across town twice each weekday: every morning, to work at the Cabin Craft textile factory; and every evening, to business school. After completing her secretarial training, Reathel worked for Dalton Credit Exchange. Her job, in those days before the credit cards and the Internet, was to check references for persons who had applied for credit with local merchants.In 1948, Reathel married World War II Army veteran J.D. Foster, who had recently returned from service in Europe. Reathel and J.D. soon bought their first home and set about rearing five children and raising a large garden. Over time, five grandchildren and three (soon to be four) great grandchildren joined the family. In 1971, Reathel and J.D. moved to Epworth. They enjoyed the convenience of living in "town," but still kept a large garden. In 1986, after J.D. and Reathel retired, they moved back to Higdon to a new house they built just across the road from Reathel's childhood home place. They continued to garden, though on a smaller scale. After J.D. passed away in 2000, Reathel built a house on Lance Lane in Blue Ridge Village and moved back into town. By that time, a garden was more than she could manage, but she enjoyed flowers in the front yard and a few tomartoes in the back yard. Reathel moved to Cameron Hall in Ellijay in 2010. The assisted living environment took some getting used to, but in recent months, she had begun referring to her pretty apartment as home.Reathel is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, John Michael Foster and Cherie Foster of Newman, GA; daughters and sons-in-law, Jo Lynn Johnson and George Lambert of McCaysville, GA, Sandra Jane Rooks and the late Jim Rooks of Athens, GA, Cheryl Ann Boles and Bill Boles of Acworth, GA, and Jonene F. Sartin and Fred Sartin of Madison, Mississippi; four grandchildren and three grandchildren.Funeral services were conducted Saturday, July 9, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. from the Hipps Chapel Church with Rev. Delmar Davenport officiating. Music was by Mandi Davis and Glenda Davenport. Pallbearers were Mike Foster, Jr., Chris Jones, Clint Davis, Fred Sartin, David Foster, and Bill Boles. Reathel has been laid to rest in the cemetery of Hipps Chapel Church in Higdon, where she was a lifelong member and always felt at home. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.akinsfuneralhome.com. Akins Funeral Home of Blue Ridge was in charge of arrangements. .