Remembering Ruth Foster: Ellsworth's Grande Dame And Trailblazer

Ellsworth's Grande Dame, Ruth Foster passed away yesterday, June 2nd after suffering a heart attack. She was 96.

Ruth closed her store on Main Street after 35 years on December 30, 2019. In typical fashion, Ruth announced it with a bit of whimsy, saying she was tired of playing store, and that it was time to do something else.

After WDEA left it's old building at the Ellsworth Courthouse, we moved our studios to the 2nd floor above Ruth Foster's store, when Rick Foster broadcast his morning show for about 15 years!

Ruth served on the Ellsworth City Council and in 1978 was Ellsworth's first female mayor. She served 10 years in the Maine House of Representatives and 4 years in the Maine Senate representing Ellsworth. Her 1984 landmark legislation concerning the welfare of Maine’s children remains in effect today. While on the judiciary committee, Foster developed the law which made mediation mandatory in contested divorce cases. The Maine Supreme Judicial Court honored Foster for her work, and she was named Legislator of the Year in 1988 at the Maine State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Conference. (Source Bangor Daily News)

Ruth was an amazing fundraiser and served on countless boards. When we were at the Memorial Day observance at City Hall, someone commented on the crabapple trees and said they were Ruth's crabapple trees. I didn't understand why, until I read the Ellsworth American's story on Ruth's passing where they reported that she raised $10,000 in a week to care for them when she saw they needed attention.

Ellsworth has a lot to be proud of, and Ruth Foster had her hand in many if not most of those things. Brian Langley had shirts created with the word "Ellsworthian" on them. It's hard to imagine someone more "Ellsworthian" than Ruth Foster!

Rest easy and thank you!

(Thank you to the Ellsworth American for sharing a photo of Ruth with us for our story!)