Mr. Melvin Lovett Foster SR, age 64, of Summerville, GA, passed away Saturday October 18, 2014 at the home of his mother.

Mr. Foster was born July 22, 1950, in Holland, GA, the son of Lurlene Foster Adams and the late Decatur Landrum.   Mr. Foster began his long work history on the family farm of his grandfather, John Foster, in Holland.  His first job was laboring as a brickmason, but his independent nature led him to several personal ventures.  Mr. Foster’s first business was a package store on Highland Avenue.  During this same time, he also worked as a long-haul truck driver for Trend Mills.  Driving a truck allowed him to travel the length of the country numerous times.  The package store eventually became a pool hall, game room, and then disco for the community youth called Teen Times.  As his son, Melvin, Jr., grew of age, they opened an auto clean-up shop at the same Highland Avenue location, which they turned into Tuff’s Auto Sales.  Mr. Foster served local car buyers there until his death.

A dedicated community member, he was active for many years in voter registration as a member of the Chattooga County Democratic Party.   He was a lifelong member of the Hwy 27 Church of Christ.  It was at the church’s annual Valentine’s Dinner held at Pop’s Country Buffet where he married his beloved wife, Hattie, on February 11, 2005.  His most passionate hobby was racing.  He began drag racing in his youth and continued racing at various drag strips in Tennessee until the last year of his life.  He was preceded in death by a sister, Charlotte Wilson.

Survivors include his wife, Hattie Ruth James Foster, mother, Lurlene Adams, children, Melvin Foster Jr, and Michelle Broome, Tracey Hines, Tara Foster, Kipp Foster, Chapitre Marsh, Sheral Marsh, step-children, Allison and Scott Montgomery, Chuck and Mandy Noles, Thomas and Manny Brooks, Timothy and Kenya Brooks, sisters, Lorranie Adams, Theresa and Joseph Thomas, brothers, Ronderal Adams, Renderal  and Leanna Adams, Johnny and Gina Adams, Kenneth and Tammy Adams.  A host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren also survive.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p. m. Sunday, October 26, 2014 at Mason Funeral Home Chapel with Min. L. D. Ludy officiating.  Burial will follow in the Summerville Cemetery.  Active pallbearers will be Mike Ringer, Gary Blankenship, Michael Coley, Jordan Adams, Renzell Adams, Stanley Barnes, Kane Darden, and John Sterner.

Mr. Foster will be in state and the family will receive friends from 12:00 noon until 2:00 p. m. on Sunday, October 26, 2014. Friends and family are invited to either send flowers or make a donation in support of pancreatic cancer research to Pancreatic Cancer Action Network online at www.pancan.org.

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