Phyllis June Foster

Phyllis June McCullom Foster (Granny) peacefully crossed over to be with her beloved Howard early Wednesday morning, September 26. Phyllis was a well known, well loved waitress at Stan’s Restaurant for over forty years, working up until the spring of this year. She was affectionately known as “Granny” not only to her family, but to thousands of customers, co-workers or anyone else in need of a “Granny”.

Phyllis June McCullom was born to Virgil (deceased) and Mae Gray McCullom (deceased) on October 11, 1940. Despite the passing of her daddy while she was a young child, Phyllis June spent her early life happily in Ethridge, TN. She has often spoken fondly of her childhood and friends there.

At the age of fifteen, Phyllis met the man of her life, Howard Jackson Foster. They were married in Iuka, MS on July 1, 1956. At the advice of her soon to be mother-in-law, she placed a piece of paper with the number 18 written in her shoe. This way she could honestly say she was “over 18”.

Before her many years at Stan’s Phyllis was asked by Ray Danner to come to Columbia to manage the Dining Room at the first Shoney’s in town.

In the over forty years at Stan’s Restaurant, her love for people and laughter made her the treasured friend of many different people from all walks of life. A television crew stopping in the restaurant found her to be so unique they returned to do a story about her which appeared on CBS on the show “Coast to Coast”. Over the years, she served country music stars to weary indigent travelers.

If someone had little or no money they would not leave hungry. Phyllis truly “served”. The number of hungry travelers she fed by buying their meals is not known. She was never one to “toot her own horn”.

Among the highlights if her life was traveling to Australia with her oldest and best friend, being honored by an invitation and attending an Amish wedding and being a granny, great granny and as of one week before her passing, a great-great granny.

Among the many things that brought her happiness were attending John Prine concerts, her dogs, feral cats, feeding wild birds, traveling to the Arkansas mountains, going to hear Bro. Wayne preach, the Napier Singers sing, and Facebooking. Included in this was her volunteer work. Her husband and she delivered Meals on Wheels to the homebound. She would go to nursing homes and ask to be a friend to someone that did not receive visitors. Two of the most recent were that she grew her beautiful silver hair long and donated it to the Locks of Love and volunteered for a local hospice.

In memory of Granny, the family asks that you pet a dog, make someone laugh and help out a person in need. Pass it on.

Grannie’s last works to her Facebook family were, “Goodnite GOD’S BLESSINGS to you and yours!” Sept. 20 7:40 p.m.

Left to cherish many memories of Granny are her children: Laurie (Tim) Greene, Elizabeth (Antone) Wix, Howard (Heather) Foster, Jr.; grandchildren: Beth (Coty) Anderson, Gabriel (Sherry) Hay, Lora (Jimmy) Cates, Lazer (Devin) Turner, Holly Foster, Ashley Wix and Christopher Wix; great grandchildren: Anthony (Destiny) Fuller, Kassie Fuller, Mackenzie Hay, Colby Cates; and her great-great grandson: Michael Brenton Fuller.

In addition to her husband and parents, others preceding her in death are her son: Monte Foster, beloved in-laws: Son and Lora Foster and her dear friend: Mae Binkley.

Funeral services for Mrs. Foster will be held on Saturday, September 29, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. at Williams Funeral Home in Mt. Pleasant with Bro. Wayne Fleming officiating. The family will visit with friends on Friday from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and again on Saturday from 12:00 noon until time of the service at the funeral home.

Williams Funeral Homs is assisting the family with the arrangements and online condolences may be left at www.williamsfh.com