Doris Smith Foskey

Doris Smith Foskey of Vidalia, GA, passed away on January 13, 2023. She was 99-
years-old and had lived nearly her entire life in Vidalia, GA, where she was widely
known and loved.

She was born in November 1923, to Max and Fannie Smith, who had left Eastern
Europe in the early 20 th century to escape anti-Semitism and to build a new life in
America. When she was a small child in 1925, the family moved from Claxton to Vidalia
to open a shoe shop that became Max Smith’s Department Store, which was a
mainstay of the city’s downtown for more than half a century.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband Dane Foskey, her parents and three
siblings, Ethel Cohen, formerly of Philadelphia; Ben Smith, formerly of Vidalia, and
Goldie Mooney, formerly of Jesup, GA.

She is survived by a daughter, Colleen Foskey; a son, Myles Foskey; and a grandson,
Thomas Dane Foskey, all of Vidalia, and a brother-in-law, Rian Foskey of Nashua, NH,
and a sister-in-law, Lynn Sharpe of Uvalda, GA. Also surviving her are numerous nieces
and nephews, great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews on both
the Smith and Foskey sides of the family.

After graduating from Vidalia High School, she worked in the family clothing store. On
Jan. 18, 1959, she married Dane Foskey, who had been an Army paratrooper in World
War II, at the B.B. Jacob Synagogue in Savannah. After many devoted years together,
her husband died in 1996 at age 70.

The couple opened Foskey Tire Company in 1961, and, well known for her strong work
ethic, Doris Foskey played a key role in both businesses for years. Foskey Tire was so
successful that she and her husband were able to travel internationally on excursions
sponsored by B.F. Goodrich.

She was fiercely loyal to family and friends, always available for her children and took
care of her parents as they aged. She had a broad definition of family and welcomed
everyone into the circle. Above all, she adored her grandson and stayed close to him
until the end.

She also took great pride in being part of the Jewish people. One of the
accomplishments of which she was most proud was helping establish a synagogue in
Vidalia in 1964; Beth Israel was one of the very few Jewish congregations in small
towns in the United States to follow the Orthodox tradition.

She was devoted to Vidalia and proud of the city’s growth over the years. Before Vidalia
onions became widely available, she sent boxes of them each year to relatives all over
the country. Whether onions or other food, she was famous for her sweet tooth and was legendary among her nieces, nephews, and friends for her always well-stocked “sweets
drawer.”

She and her husband were avid supporters of Vidalia High School sports, and she was
a devoted fan of the University of Georgia Bulldogs, who won a national championship
just days before she died.

In a social media post this past Mother’s Day, her daughter Colleen summed up her
mother’s life, “She taught us love, respect, work ethic and whatever good is in us came
from my dad and her.”

The family would like to offer special thanks to her caregivers, who tended to her so
lovingly at the end of her life. Patricia Dorsey, Jamie Oliver Foskey, Loretta Nelson,
Jean Scott, and Angie Stanfield became part of the family.

Graveside services will be held at 11 AM Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at Bonaventure
Cemetery in Savannah, with Rabbi Avigdor Slatus of Bnai Brith Jacob Synagogue
presiding. The procession will start at Gamble Funeral Home, 410 Stephenson Avenue
in Savannah, at 10:15 AM.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions if you wish to the Sweet Onion Animal
Protection Society, P.O. Box 210, Vidalia, GA 30474; Beth Israel Congregation, 1117 Tomlin Road, Lyons, GA, 30436; or the charity of your choice.

You are invited to view the funeral service by clicking here.