Remembering Sophia Foster

As many of you already know, Margaret’s Village was deeply saddened by the recent loss of Ms. Sophia Foster, the Director of the Vincennes Senior Center. Sophie was 92 years old, but the sparkle in her eye and the spring in her step made us all think she was really decades younger.

When Sister Margaret Traxler and IWT began operating the St. Carthage parish property as Maria Shelter in 1989, Sophie was one of a group of seniors who approached Sr. Margaret and asked if the former parishioners could continue a seniors group in the old church. And with that, the Vincennes Senior Center came into existence.

The first director, Phyllis White, was one of those St. Carthage seniors, too, and she ran the Center until her death a decade ago. Sophia, who had been an active participant in the Center since it began, then took over the Director duties– planning programs and social events, and celebrating life to the fullest!

The last few months had not been easy for Sophie. One cold night just before Christmas, her home of more than 50 years burned to the ground. Sophie awoke in the middle of the night to a voice telling her to get out of her house, and she followed directions. The fire and police department were waiting outside her back door, amazed when the petite 92 -year old Sophie appeared in the doorway, having exited the building on her own. (Or as Sophie said, “By following the voice that was telling me what to do!”) Sophie spent a few days in the hospital, charming all the staff, before she returned to a friend’s apartment in the neighborhood. And yes, Sophie even came back to work at the Vincennes Senior Center. The pictures we have posted here are from Sophie 90th birthday party, a picture that was taken only two days before her passing, and a picture of Angela Hicks with Sophie’s cousins at the Vincennes Senior Center celebrating Sophie’s amazing life.