Patricia W. Foster passed away on the afternoon of June 27, 2024 at the Breakwater Commons in Rockland. She had been a resident of Riverside at Chase Point in Damariscotta for the past seven years.
Patti was born on July 23, 1927 in Boston, Mass., to her parents, Edmund J. and Hazel (Andrews) Spillane. Patti, “with an I,” as she liked to be known, grew up in the Boston area and summered at the Andrews family property with her grandparents in Boothbay Harbor.
Patti graduated from Roslindale High School at the age of 15, and went on to earn a degree in business and finance from Bentley College. She went on to work for over 20 years for the stock brokerage firms of Schirmer and Atherton in Boston, and later as operations manager for a branch of Merrill Lynch.
Patti was always proud to continue in the family path of serving our country as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps Women’s Reserve from 1954-1958.
Patti married her first husband, Cecil C. Marble, in 1964 until his death in 1973. Cecil was a 33rd degree Mason, and past C-in-C of the Massachusetts Consistory. While married, Cecile and Patti did lots of traveling. At the time of Cecil’s passing, Patti moved to the family property in Boothbay Harbor.
In 1975, she met and married Donald E. Foster and they built a home together in South Bristol. Don was a retired lieutenant commander of the U.S. Navy. Together in their retirement they spent many hours on the ocean. You could always find Patti alongside Don on their boat, the Patti W, helping to haul traps as his sternman. She never shied away from hard work.
Patti was predeceased by her husband, Donald Foster, in 2011; her first husband, Cecil, in 1973; brothers, U.S.C.G. Capt. Edmund Spillane Jr., and L.T.C. U.S. Army Robert Spillane; sister, Elizabeth Davidson; sister-in-law, Joyce Foster Parmelee; and brother-in-law, Terrance Foster.
She is survived by many nieces and nephews, but was especially close to her niece, Patricia Lane, of Newcastle, her caregiver for the past 11 years; niece, Dawne Godwin, of Texas; and niece, Barbara Saunders, of Tenants Harbor.
Her ashes will be scattered privately.
Arrangements are under the direction and care of the Strong-Hancock Funeral Home, 612 Main St., Damariscotta, ME 04543. Condolences, and messages for her family, may be expressed by visiting stronghancock.com.
