Eloise Foster Humphries, a Clifton Forge, Virginia native, departed this life to meet her Savior on Friday, January 9, 2015 at her childhood home on McCormick Street in Clifton Forge, surrounded by friends and family.
Eloise was born in Staunton, VA on June 21 to the late Lewis and Myrle Foster. The couple raised Eloise and her sister, Dorothy Coe, in Clifton Forge.
Mr. Foster was a prominent merchant in Clifton Forge, where he owned and operated Fosters Ladies & Children's Wear.
The family was very active in Central United Methodist Church, and they commissioned the iconic steeple bells for the church, which can be heard throughout the downtown area each hour.
In 1940 Eloise graduated from Clifton Forge High School and went on to attend Southern Seminary in Buena Vista, VA. Her life-long friend and college roommate, Deloris Gillingham, recalls Eloise's fiery spirit, contagious laugh and ability to light up a room with her wit and charm.
Eloise married her husband, Jewel "Dewey" Humphries, now deceased, in 1947 in Clifton Forge. The couple moved to Greensboro, NC, where they raised their two children, Coe and Hope.
Eloise worked as a bank teller at First Home Federal. The job, which required frequent interaction with the public, was perfect for Eloise. She never knew a stranger and had an uncanny ability to make those she met feel like they had known her for years.
Family was extremely important to Eloise; in fact, it was the thing she cherished the most. Holidays, birthdays and as many weekends as possible were spent with family, which always included her sister. Every year they stayed two full weeks in Myrtle Beach. The family would go year-after-year to the same hotel and enjoy the sun, sand and Eloise's famous chicken salad sandwiches.
Eloise is survived by her sister, Dorothy Coe Foster, a lifetime resident of Clifton Forge; her son, Lewis Coe Humphries and wife Carolyn of Morristown, TN; her daughter, Hope Lambert and husband, Pharis of Durham, NC; three grandchildren, Ashley H. Cameron and her husband, BJ, of Morristown, TN, Lauren McCall and her husband, Casey, of Aiken, SC, and Kemp F. Lambert of Greensboro, NC; and three great-grandchildren, Dayton Short, Trae Cameron and Landon Cameron.
The funeral service will be held Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 12:00 p.m. in the chapel of Nicely Funeral Home, Clifton Forge with long-time family friend, Reverend W. Pembroke "Pem" Hall officiating.
The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service on Tuesday at Nicely Funeral Home.
Mrs. Humphries will be laid to rest in Mountain View Cemetery, Clifton Forge, in the Foster family plot alongside her beloved father, mother and husband.
The family requests memorial contributions in Eloise's name be made to Mountain Regional Hospice, P. O. Box 637, Clifton Forge, VA 24422.
The family wishes to extend their deepest gratitude to Janie Lawhorn, Drema Lawhorn, Kay Nichols, Pat Connor, Denise Brown, Carissa Higgins and Lisa Persinger for the attentive and loving care of Eloise over the last several years. They are so thankful to have found so many angels in such a small town.
