Marcia E. Foulger

After a long and full life of faith, love and deliberate optimism, Marcia Elizabeth Foulger died on May 31, 2022, in Brunswick, Maine.

She was born in Detroit, Michigan, where her father was a financial officer in the emerging Chrysler Corporation. She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 55 years, Robert Ernest Foulger; her mother, Mary Alexandra Gesner Clarke; and her father, George Varnum Davis Clarke, who died when Marcia was but 2 years old.

Following her father’s untimely death, Marcia grew up in Massachusetts with her mother and, for three years, in foster care. She received her bachelor’s degree in child psychology from Boston University in 1950, married the love of her life the same year, raised three interesting children and engaged in a career in library science. With her husband, Bob, she spent a lively and meaningful retirement  in Bath and Brunswick, Maine, enjoying visits and adventures with their eight grandchildren.

Marcia was a catalogue librarian at Hofstra University, a deacon at the First Presbyterian Church of Levittown, New York, a Camp Fire Girls leader, an elder and founding member of Midcoast Presbyterian Church in Topsham, Maine, a trustee of the Patton Free Library in Bath, and a member of the Bath Historical Society. She enjoyed swimming, knitting, needle arts, oil painting, genealogy, singing in the church choir, and anything to do with butterflies. With her husband, Bob, she ran a butterfly fundraising campaign for the Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center in Holmes, New York.

Like her mother before her, Marcia loved snuggling with a warm cat, picking a fresh boiled lobster and devouring good books. She was truly brilliant, reading voraciously and remembering every detail with precision. She was, therefore, a formidable master of trivia. Marcia had a unrelenting sweet tooth with a particular penchant for crunchy cookies, caramel pecan turtles, chocolate covered marshmallows, and ice cream (which she described as “a complete meal”). Having faced a painful, challenging and often lonely childhood, she chose to live with optimism, grace and determination. Her two favorite sayings were the old Spanish Proverb, “Living well is the best revenge,” and the mock-Latin admonition, “illegitimati non carborundum.”

Marcia is survived by three cherished children and their spouses: son, Davis Foulger of Gray, Maine; daughter, Sarah Foulger and her husband, Russ Hoffman of Boothbay Harbor; and daughter, Alice Pulliam and her husband Lewis of Morris, Connecticut. She was very proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Devin Foulger and his wife Lisa; Shandi Foulger; Sam Foulger and his wife Kelly Jacobs; Noah Hoffman and his wife Sarah; Christopher Hoffman and his wife Courtney Reichert; Benjamin Pulliam and his wife Sarah; Samantha Pulliam; Jack Pulliam; and great grandchildren: Charlotte, Sophie, Mirabell, Maxwell, Livia, James, Adams and Collins.

A celebration of Marcia’s life will take place at 10:30 a.m. on July 16 at Midcoast Presbyterian Church, 84 Main St., Topsham. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial donation to Midcoast Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 211, Topsham, ME 04086.Condolences may be shared at Funeralalternatives.net