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Susan McFerrin Foster, a lifelong resident of Greenville, has been named this week’s Greenville Advocate Hero of the Week. She has dedicated her life to teaching and community service, with no plans of slowing down.

“I think it’s where the Lord wants me,” Foster said. “It’s my happy place. I love the children and I just can’t wait to get there every day.”

Married to Robert Foster for 40 years, the couple has two children and four grandchildren. Since 1981, Foster has taught middle and high school math at Fort Dale Academy. 

Her love for education extends beyond the classroom, with Nathaniel Foster recalling how his mother would spend her weekends tutoring college students.

“Starting when I was a little boy, like really young, college kids would come on their weekends home and on vacations and she would tutor them in her free time to help them out,” Nathaniel added.

In addition to her teaching career, Foster leads an annual trip with Fort Dale’s seventh-grade class to Camp McDowell in North Alabama.

“It’s one of the most wonderful places you can imagine,” Foster said. “All children don’t have the opportunity to go outside and learn things, so I try and encourage them all to go.”

As a longtime supporter of outdoor education for women, Foster teaches pistol classes through the Becoming an Outdoor Woman program, a weekend hosted by the Alabama Department of Conservation. 

“For years, she was an instructor at Becoming an Outdoor Woman,” Nathaniel said. “She taught pistol classes at the nature learning center, where they offer several outdoor activities in everything from basket weaving to campfire cooking.”

In addition to her career in education, Foster has deep roots in the Greenville business community. Her parents, Dan and Evelyn Pride, opened McFerrin’s Jewelry in 1981and Susan and Robert purchased the store in the late 1980s. 

“Now, my sister runs it, but mom still owns it and still goes down there to help her out whenever she needs it,” Nathaniel shared.

Reflecting on her life in Greenville, Foster emphasized her love for the town and her commitment to its people. 

“I really love Greenville,” she said. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. It’s a nice, safe place. People still say good morning here.”

According to Nathaniel, his mother’s commitment to her family has been a guiding principle throughout her life, recalling how supportive his mother was of any activity he and his sister participated in.

“She always took off work to take me or my sister to this or that and never complained about getting up early or spending weekends on the road. She was just always there and OK with it.”