Necrology of Toledo's Woodlawn Cemetery

Alber V. Foster

Albert V. Foster was the president and director of his own investment firm, A.V. Foster and Co. Foster was born on a farm in Hillsdale County in about 1880. He attended high school in Hudson and then Cleary's Business College in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He started his career in June 1899 at a private bank in Morenci, Michigan. Two years later Foster helped with the bank's transition to the First National Bank of Morenci. In 1902 he was made a cashier of the bank. He held that position until he left in 1912 to join Spitzer-Rorick & Co. The members of the Spitzer and Rorick firm were municipal securities dealers. In 1935 Foster resigned and started A.V. Foster and Company. Albert Foster was also vice-president and director of the Pemberton Cadillac Co., and the Hudson State Savings Bank. He was also a director of the Parker Rustproof Co."A.V. Foster: Founder, President of Investment Firm," Toledo Blade 4 January 1950.

Foster married Leila Estel Rorick in 1903. They became the parents of Cordelia, Oscar, and Robert. Albert Foster died on January 4, 1950 after an illness of seven months. He had achieved success in his career and left an estate valued at over $125,000,000."Foster Estate is Valued in Excess of $125,000,000," (Toledo Blade 12 January 1950). Leila Rorick Foster died in October 1980 at the age of 100. At the time she was the oldest living graduate of Adrian College.("Leila Foster," Toledo Blade 3 October 1980.)

Albert and Leila's son, Oscar, also became a successful businessman. He was born in Morenci, Michigan c. 1907. He graduated from Yale University in 1928. He was employed at Snyder, Wilson & Co and eventually became a senior partner at the firm but left to form his own company. He founded the brokerage firm Foster Bros., Weber and Co. When Foster Bros. merged with Bache Halsey Stuart Shields, Inc., he became a member of that firm. It was one of the nation's largest brokerage houses. Later that company became Prudential Bache securities. Oscar Foster was on the Toledo and Riverside Hospital Boards, the Rotary Club, the Toledo Country Club and the Toledo Society for the Handicapped. He retired from his business in 1988 and died in August of that year."(Oscar Rorick Foster," Toledo Blade 5 August 1988.)

Alber V. Foster's grave

(Photography of Woodlawn Cemetery by Josef Schneider.)