Robert Foster

Robert Michael “Mike” Foster  was born on January 12, 1939 to the late Frank Russell Foster and Norine Byrl Willis Foster in San Diego, California.  He graduated from Robert A. Millikan High School on June 13, 1957 in Long Beach California.  He attended Long Beach City College then graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of California Los Angeles in 1963.  During his college years, he served in the Marine Corp Reserves.   Mike worked as an electrical engineer at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard after college, which lead to a career move to the Naval Sea Systems Command in Alexandria, Virginia.  On the east coast, he met and married the love of his life, Darlene Marie Walton on December 30, 1967.  Mike and Darlene were blessed by the birth of their daughter, Susanne Marie Foster (Riedesel).

Mike pursued and completed a Masters of Counseling at the University of Santa Monica in 1994.  He retired from the Naval Sea Systems Command after 35 years of service on February 29, 1996. His interests in counseling led him to create a  website, RecoverybyDiscovery.com, and work as a volunteer at the Way Station in Frederick, Maryland.  He was a great mentor for peer support, and volunteered as well at On Our Own Frederick, Maryland.  He served as Vice President on the On Our Own Board since August 2015.  He was a member of Frederick Christian Fellowship.

Mike departed this life on December 5, 2019 and will be greatly cherished and missed by his loving family.  Mike was known by family and friends for his intelligence, compassion, ability to listen without judgment and his insightful wisdom.  He is survived by his wife, Darlene; and daughter, Susanne and husband, John Riedesel.  He was the proud grandparent to Daniel Foster Riedesel, Hannah Marie Riedesel and Rebecca Anne Riedesel.  He also embraced Evelyn Harshbarger, and husband, Stuart and daughters, Sarah and Annie Harshbarger, as family.   He is also survived by two sisters, Barbara Louise Swanburg and husband Jack, and Anita Marie Crockett.

A celebration of Mike's life journey will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 4, 2020, at Stauffer Funeral Home, 1621 Opossumtown Pike in Frederick, MD.  Rev. Janet Cregger will officiate. The family will receive friends one hour prior to and immediately following services on Saturday at Stauffer Funeral Home in Frederick.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like to contribute to a memorial donation in Robert Michael Foster’s name to On Our Own of Frederick Maryland or the Hospice of Frederick County.

Expressions of sympathy may be offered to the family at StaufferFuneralHome.com.