TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
Carolina where he graduated with honors earning a B.S. degree in May 1947, with two majors - Biology and General Science and a minor in Physical Education. While at Johnson C. Smith, he was the president of his class, an undefeated wrestler, quarterback on the football team, captain of the gymnas- tics team for two years and a member of the National Honor Society of Beta Kappa Chi. He also received a doctorate degree from Lee Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, Florida. After graduating from college, he was very active serving his community, state, country and na- tion as he worked at the family business Foster Funeral Home and later became the owner. He was elected to the Cherokee County (SC) Council in 1984 and was serving his ninth term at the time of his death. He served as Vice Chairman for 23 years. As chairman of the Human Ser- vice Committee of the County Council, he was instrumental in creation of the Peachtree Centre retirement home and became the Chairman of the Peachtree Center Nursing Home and Senior Apart- ments. He also wanted to house several of the county offices in one place where it would be easier for residents to tend to business. For several years Peachtree Centre housed: the Departments of So- cial Services, the Veteran Affairs Office, Voters’ Registration, Probate Court and Emergency Management and 911. Also as county commissioner, he sup- ported the law enforcement division, de- tention center division, and the Sheriff in making sure that the employees had the necessary safety equipment that was needed for their protection. His district was mainly located in the city limits. He supported and appointed members to the Cherokee County Library Board, Development Board, Board of Appeals, Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Board, Airport Committee, Citizens Planning Committee, Recreation Board, Tax Assessor/Board of Appeals, Over- Mountain Victory Trail Committee and Work Force Investment Board.
mother was a seamstress in the St. Louis garment industry, in addition to being a hairdresser. Brother Franklin graduated in 1954 from East St. Louis (IL) Lincoln Senior High School where he played trombone in the marching band. He attended from Southern Illinois University (SIU) in Carbondale, IL graduating in 1958 with a bachelor’s degree in English. In 1967, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper hired Brother Franklin who astutely mentioned during the inter- view with the newspaper the need to hire black reporters. While he received a Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship to the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, New York. In addition to his studies in the Harlem neighborhood he worked in New Jersey as a stringer for the Newark Star-Ledger. When he returned to St. Louis, he con- tinued his career as a general reporter and eventual assistant city night editor at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He was one of the founding members of the Greater St. Louis Association of Black Journalists. He pursued daily assign- ments as award-winning opportunities to expand coverage on civil rights, voting rights and exposing police brutality. Toward the end of his career he went back on the streets as the homicide beat reporter. He retired in 2004. Brother Franklin spent his days off building a home for his family in the Central West End area of St. Louis. He worked with an architect on the blue- prints for his family home, registered for courses on electrical and plumbing at East St. Louis Community College, and launched Franklin Contracting Com- pany. In 1981 Don, his wife and three daughters moved into “The House that Don Built.” Brother Franklin is survived by his older brother James C. Franklin Jr. and their aunt Ruby Perry (Rubin) of Roswell, Georgia and uncle Nelson Jackson of Los Angeles, California, the last of his parents’ siblings. Don leaves behind his
wife Irene and their three daughters and two sons-in-law: filmmaker and profes- sor Nicole L. Franklin of Long Island, New York, dancer and choreographer Candice Michelle Franklin (Candice Franklin-Cox) and Jerry “Niru” Cox of Harlem, New York and photographer Kirsten M. Petty and Daniel Petty of St. Louis.
Dr. Rufus H. Foster Jr. 1927–2017
Educator, Funeral Home Owner, County Commissioner, Civic Leader
Dr. Rufus H. Foster Jr. was a longtime Chero- kee County (SC) councilman, owner and operator of Foster Funeral Home in Gaffney, South
Carolina, Boy Scout Leader and Prince Hall Mason. Beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather, he served the community that he lived in for many years. Gaffney (SC) Mayor Henry Jolly said “Foster was one of the first, if not the first, African Americans elected to County Council. He’ll be sorely missed, especially in the African American community. He has always been a leader among his peers. He’s certainly been an asset through the years for Gaffney and Cherokee County.” Dr. Rufus Herbert Foster, Jr., entered the Chapter Invisible on June 22, 2017 at the age 89. “I have had the pleasure of working with Mr. Foster for almost 10 years,” County Administrator Holland Belue. “He was a wonderful man with a loving heart. He touched the lives of thousands of people young and old and has left a lasting impression and legacy on all of Cherokee County.” Son of the late Rufus H. Foster, Sr. and the late Mrs. Henrietta Crystal (nee Littlejohn) Foster, he was born on July 16, 1927, in Gaffney, South Carolina. Foster was a graduate of Granard High School, at the age of 15 in 1943. After graduation, he attended Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North
He was a member of Dunton United
244 | FALL 2017 THE JOURNAL
Publishing achievement for more than 100 years
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter