Doris Jean O’Neal Foster

    Doris Jean O’Neal Foster was born on February 25, 1934, and passed away peacefully on February 15, 2024. Doris was born on a farm south of Lamesa, Texas, in Dawson County and went to school at Klondike where she was valedictorian of her class. She married Hugh Ray Foster after graduating, and other than a brief stint in Georgia when Hugh Ray was in the army, she lived most of her life in Dawson County. She and Hugh Ray raised three girls on the cotton farm, and when the youngest started to school, Doris decided to go to college and become an elementary teacher. She graduated from Texas Tech University summa cum laude and began an illustrious career as a teacher at both Klondike and Lamesa. Doris taught primarily 3rd grade and loved each of her students. Combining her creativity and imagination, Doris created a teaching style that her students still admire to this day as evidenced by the letters and visits she received until the end.
    Doris and Hugh Ray moved to Lamesa in 1976 to get “out of the sand,” and Doris began flower gardening. After her retirement from teaching, she began gardening in earnest as well as baking. She gave away hundreds of cookies, cakes, and her well known, individually wrapped fudge brownies. Anyone who came for a visit walked away with a bag of her wonderful baked goods.
    Doris eventually moved to Manor Park in Midland and continued her flower gardening there. She turned an uninspiring yard into a show place at Manor Park. She loved the friends she made there and gave away many homemade cakes and cookies. Everyone she knew there received a special birthday cake handmade by Doris.
    Doris was preceded in death by her husband, Hugh Ray Foster, and her parents, Andy and Mabel O’Neal, a brother, James O’Neal, and two sisters, Sibyl Parham & Genevieve Eoff.
    She is survived by her daughters Shari Foster Harrison and husband Bobby Harrison, Cyndy Foster Allen and husband Lewis Allen, and Melinda Foster Simons and husband Robby Simons. She is also survived by grandchildren Traci Harrison Jones, Brandon Harrison, Lori Napper Krustchinsky, Cari Napper Anderson, William Allen, and Andi Allen as well as great grandchildren Lauren and Aubrey Jones, Kason Anderson, Boyce & Klint Harrison, and Dante Allen.
    A service was held in her memory on February 17, 2024, at Manor Park in Midland.
    In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Buckner Children & Family Services, 1510 S Loop 289, Lubbock, TX 79412, or to the charity of your choice.

– Press-Reporter obituary services