Obituary of Claire Ann Foster

Claire Ann Washburn Foster Our mother, wife, sister, best friend, and animal lover, Claire Ann Foster, passed peacefully into the next life while listening to the music of her favorite crooner, Frank Sinatra, at her home of 50 years in Millcreek. Claire was in the company of those she brought together and who she influenced and loved most in this world. Claire was born in Gloversville, New York, the daughter of the late Richard L. Washburn and Jane M. Washburn. She grew up eating ice cream made at the family’s ice cream and dairy business. She attended Simmons College in Boston, where she dual-majored in history and English. While in the Boston area she met her soulmate “outside of a bar” around the corner from “The House of the Seven Gables” (Hawthorne) as the story goes, and she often reminisced that she had a few prospects: a doctor, a pharmacist, but she settled on “the man who made her laugh,” Robert B. Foster, a General Electric engineer with a rather dry sense of humor and an amazing smile. Bob and Claire were married eighteen months later and have been by each other’s side for the past 56 years. Never fearing to try something new, in her younger years, she was able to see the world while working for her aunt at an NYC travel agency. She loved people, striking up conversations with strangers. She met many people and told their stories throughout her life. We must also mention here that she and Bob went on many adventures across the globe throughout the years as well, Brazil and Australia being very impactful experiences. Claire’s absolute favorite employment was as a buyer for Elder Beerman, a department store in Dayton, Ohio. She took many buying trips to NYC. If you knew Claire, you know she loved clothes. She loved buying them, wearing them, and just browsing. In Erie, she worked at Carlisle’s, at Macy’s the Ralph Lauren Representative, and then at AJ’s Classic Clothing in the Colony Plaza. She continued throughout her life as our personal shopper. Claire enjoyed volunteering in the community. Her two favorite - Hamot Aid Society with a proud time when she served as president for a year and then as a Corporator of Hamot Health Foundation. She is survived by her husband Robert, her brother Richard “Butch” Washburn (Nancy), her daughter Jennifer and son Mark (Tricia), and grandchildren Zak, Parker, Peyton, and Paxton. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by an infant daughter Heather. Family and friends are warmly invited to call at the Dusckas–Martin Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 4216 Sterrettania Rd., on Tuesday, January 18, 2022 from 3:30 pm until a short service at 5:30 pm. Private interment.