Obituary: Mary B. Foss

Mary B. Foss, age 102, of Lewiston, died Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, at home in Lewiston, under the loving care of her daughter and Niagara Hospice.

Mrs. Foss was born Sept. 1, 1921, in Niagara Falls, the daughter of the late James R. and Ruth F. (Pattinson) Benbow. She was a 1939 graduate of Niagara Falls High School and attended Kelley Business Institute from 1938-40. Mary worked as bookkeeper for the former Power City Trust Bank in Niagara Falls and then at Bell Aircraft during World War II. She also had been employed by NY Telephone as a business office representative for two years.

On April 5, 1947, she married Charles A. Foss and they moved to Lewiston in 1956. Mary retired from Lewiston-Porter High School in 1977 after serving 10 years as a teacher’s aide.

A devout Christian, Mary was a longtime member of the Niagara Frontier Bible Church, where she was very active in their women’s groups as well as teaching Awana. In her retirement, Mary enjoyed traveling to the various places where her daughter’s husband was stationed while serving in the Air Force, and her son was serving in the Border Patrol. She also enjoyed listening to the Lewiston Choraleers and taking trips with the Lewiston Senior Citizens. Mary was an avid walker, walking about the village every day except for Sunday.

Her husband, Charles A. Foss, predeceased her on April 12, 2002. She is survived by her children: Jacqueline B. (the late Bruce) Sutherland of Lewiston and Charles Russell (Pati) Foss of El Paso, Texas; by seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by a son, Jeffrey E. Foss; and by three sisters: Sara B. Coppins, Ruth Locke and Jane Van Brocklin. The family would like to acknowledge Mary’s devoted caregivers from HART: Donna, Lisa and Marilyn.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, inside Community Bible Church, 4168 Church Road, Town of Cambria, with Rev. Brad Delp officiating. There will be no prior visitation.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Lewiston Fire Co. No. 1 ambulance fund, 145 N. Sixth St., P.O. Box 748, Lewiston, NY, 14092; to Niagara Hospice, 4675 Sunset Drive, Lockport, NY, 14094; or to the Community Bible Church, 4168 Church Road, Lockport, NY, 14094.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Hardison Funeral Home, North Fourth and Ridge streets, Lewiston. Please visit www.hardisonfuneralhomes.com for online condolences.