Elayne E. Foster

Elayne E. Foster, age 78, passed peacefully on Monday, December 22, 2025, at her home in Vineland, New Jersey. Born on August 3, 1947, in New York State, Elayne was the daughter of Edward and Evelyn Bates, formerly of Elmer, NJ. Her family later moved to Bridgeton, where she attended Vine Street School, before settling on Main Street in Elmer. It was there, at Elmer School, that Elayne met her lifelong friend, Jane Nelson—a friendship that spanned more than 71 years. Elayne cherished that bond deeply and spent Thanksgiving 2025 with Jane and her family. Elayne grew up in a household filled with curiosity and service. Her father built their family home on State Street and even constructed a glider airplane in the basement. Her mother was active with the Girl Scouts in Elmer and worked for GLF/Agway and later Adams Ford. As a teenager, Elayne joined the Millville Squadron of the New Jersey Civil Air Patrol, earning the honor of 1965 Cadet of the Year for the State of New Jersey. During the 1960s, she was also named Miss Congeniality in the Elmer Jaycees’ Miss Elmer Contest. In the summer of 1965, Elayne graduated from Bridgeton High School and embarked on unforgettable adventures as part of her Cadet of the Year awards. She traveled to Wisconsin, appearing on a television show where she won a case of soda, and to Alabama, where she experienced a training flight in a U.S. Air Force jet—thrilled by the sensation of “pulling G’s.” In August of that year, Elayne flew to Germany as an exchange student, spending 13 months immersed in the language and culture. Upon returning home, she was known to begin sentences in English and finish them in German. After her year abroad, Elayne attended Clarion College—now Pennsylvania Western University, Clarion—where she studied Russian and German languages. She married in the late 1960s and welcomed her son in 1977. Elayne went on to work at both ShopRite locations in Vineland, on Lincoln Avenue and Delsea Drive. In the 1990s, she joined the PAFA-COM training center and later worked at KinderCare Learning Center in Vineland, caring for infants. A chance encounter in November 1991 would shape the next chapter of her life. While bowling with her son Ryan at Pike Lanes, Elayne ran into a former neighbor from Elmer, Preston Foster III. The beloved “bowling alley story” became a favorite family tale and was even featured on their wedding invitation. Elayne and Preston married in 1992. In 1993, after attending a Pampered Chef party, Elayne became a consultant, a role she embraced wholeheartedly. Together, she and Preston shared more than 450 live kitchen shows, building friendships and memories along the way. Elayne eventually stepped away from the business as symptoms of Muscular Dystrophy—diagnosed in 1976 while she was pregnant—progressed. She participated in a University of Pennsylvania case study examining the connection between symptoms and hormones, facing her condition with resilience and grace. Faith played an important role throughout Elayne’s life. She attended St. Ann’s and Elmer Methodist Church growing up, later worshipping at First Baptist Church in Vineland, Rosedale Baptist Church, Trinity Bible Church, and eventually Christ Community Church in Newfield, where she and Preston were members until its closing in 2023. While at Christ Community Church, Elayne joined the Crafters for Christ group in 2011. There, she learned loom and hook-over techniques to create hats for the homeless and cancer patients—an act of love she continued until the spring of 2025, when neuropathy limited her ability. Elayne was predeceased by her brother, Dale Bates of Raleigh, NC. She is survived by her beloved husband, Preston Foster III; her son, D. Ryan Galloway; her stepdaughter, Elizabeth Bevan (Jeff); and her stepson, James Foster (Sara). Her cherished grandchildren also survive her: Ayden, Bryant, and Haylee Foster of Alabama, and Sam Bevan of Pitman, NJ as well as two sisters, Donna Bates of Millville and Elizabeth “Beth” Lathberry (Jay) of North Carolina. Services for Elayne will be held at the Fusion Church, formerly Christ Community Church, 201 Salem Ave., Newfield, NJ on Saturday, January 3, 2026. The viewing will begin at 10 AM with the service to follow at 11 AM. Burial will take place at Chestnut Grove Cemetery in Elmer. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Inspira Health Foundation in Elayne’s memory, 159 Bridgeton Pike, Mullica Hill, NJ 08062. Condolences can be left at adamsfuneralhome.org

Elayne E. Foster

December 22, 2025

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Elayne E. Foster

December 22, 2025

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