She graduated from Monticello High School in May 1951. She graduated from Arkansas A&M College (UAM) in Monticello, Arkansas with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Education (BSE) in 1954. She taught school in Eudora, Arkansas and Winchester, Virginia. After moving to Sterling, Virginia and raising her sons she was a substitute teacher for Loudoun County.
She was preceded in death by her parents Leonard Otto and Florence (Evans) Ellis, a sister, Glennie (Ellis) Huie, and a brother, Larry Otto Ellis, and her grandson Geoffrey Foster.
She lived in Sterling Park for 40 years before moving to the Magnolias at Lansdowne Woods in Lansdowne, Virginia, she was a charter member of the old Sterling Park Baptist Church where she served as choir director for 11 years, worked in Vacation Bible School, WMU, and sang in the choir. At the time of her death, she was a member of Leesburg Community Church, Leesburg, Virginia
She is survived by her husband, Ray Harvey Foster (her college sweetheart) for nearly 68 years. She is also survived by a sister-in-law, who was like a sister, Lida Louise Hillman of Granbury, Texas, by her two sons Larry Ray (Courtney) Foster of Purcellville, Virginia, and James Edward (Janie) Foster of Leesburg, Virginia. She leaves 9 wonderful grandchildren Justin (Monica) Foster of Inwood, West Virginia, Ryan (Melody) Foster of San Antonio, Texas; Bradley (Holly) Foster of Winchester, Virginia; Malaney (Mike) Putnam of Winchester, Virginia; Ruby (Matthew) Rubright of Richmond, Virginia; Timothy, Nathan, Lilliana Foster of Purcellville, Virginia; and Megan Foster of Leesburg, Virginia. She leaves 10 adorable great grandchildren Jaden and McKenzie Foster of Inwood, West Virginia, Bailey, Hadlee, Brody, Hayden & Hope Foster of Winchester, Virginia, Lylah Foster of San Antonio, Texas, Leah Rubright of Richmond, Virginia and Elizabeth Putnam of Winchester, Virginia. Three nephews Ken Hillman of Talco, Texas; Bill Huie of Fort Smith, Arkansas; and Terry Huie of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Condolences(1)
Dorothy McWhorter
Bedford, TX Tuesday, October 24, 2023 On behalf of the 1950 graduating class of MHS we send our deepest sympathy to Robbie Nell's family. Robbie Nell was a member of the largest class (1939) to enter the Monticello school system. The Ellis family was an integral part of the Monticello family.