Dr. Tom Franklin Foster, Jr.

Dr. Tom Franklin Foster, Jr, 92, of Concord, passed away on Friday, May 12,

2023 at home surrounded by his family.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm on Thursday, May 18, 2023 at

Central United Methodist Church, officiated by Rev. Tom Latimer and Rev.

Andy Langford, with burial to follow at Carolina Memorial Park. The family

will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 pm on Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at

Wilkinson Funeral Home.

He was born November 13, 1930 to the late Tom Franklin Foster, Sr and the

late Josie Slaughter Foster. He was preceded in death by his beloved

sisters, Blanche Page and Glenna Steagall.

Tom grew up in Caswell County, NC on a dairy and tobacco farm. He delivered

milk to neighbors and the nearby town of Yanceyville. He graduated from

Bartlett Yancey High School in 1949. He then attended NC State College, now

known as NC State University. He graduated in 1953 and has remained an avid

NC State Wolfpack fan and attended Wolfpack football and basketball games

until age 91. He married his childhood sweetheart, the late Jean Stephens

Foster, in 1953. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a

Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in 1957. He moved his family to Concord,

NC where he opened Foster Animal Hospital on October 1, 1958. He served his

community tirelessly for over 60 years. Many people remember “Dr. Tom”

fondly. After the death of his first wife of 34 years in 1988, he met

another special lady, Janet Walker Royal, and they were married in 1990.

They recently celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary. He was an active

member of Central United Methodist Church for many years. He loved the

North Carolina mountains and enjoyed spending time in Boone, NC. He loved

traveling the United States, especially out west.

Dr. Tom is survived by his wife, Janet Walker Foster, of Concord; sisters

Jean Gwynn (Bill) of Hickory, Marie Jordan (Gene) of Reidsville; children,

Joanna Cagle (Rick) of Concord, Kathy Ross (Brian) of Concord, Steve Foster

(Joanna) of New London and Curt Foster (Tonya) of Charlotte; step-children

Marcus Royal (Brenda) of Boone, Shanon Sturgill (Randy) of Wilkesboro and

Rebecca Nelson (Sonny) of Taylorsville; grandchildren, Jessica Jones

(Justin), Amy Barnes (Taylor), Brittany Ross, Scott Ross (Amanda), Amanda

Ross, Katie Isenhour (David), Annie Foster, Sarah Hittie (Ryan), Thomas

Foster, Joshua Foster (Laura), Brandon Foster (Sydney), Nicholas Foster;

step-grandchildren, Edie Royal, Drew Ward (Lindsay), Bethany

Walton(Nathan), Tara Caruso (Joe), Chris Bauguss (Tiffany);

great-grandchildren Abigail, Ella, Cole, Eli, Clayton, Canaan, Ashlynn,

Macie, Gemma, Gage and Talon, and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family is grateful to Dr. David Frate, Dr. Robert Surratt and the staff

of Ardsley Medical Center, Dr. Deanna Mangieri and the staff of Atrium

Health Senior Care in Charlotte, Coltrane Life Center, Home Instead of

Concord and Hospice of Lake Norman for their dedication and love to Dr.

Tom.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Coltrane Life Center, 321

Corban Av SE, Concord, NC 28025 or to Central United Methodist Church, Ruth

Dollars, 30 Union St. N, Concord, NC 28025.