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DORIS MARIE FOSTER LOOP

Doris Marie Foster Loop, age 95, of Gwynn’s Island, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012.

She had been living near her son in Richardson, Texas, at her death, but Gwynn’s Island was always home.

Doris was born on Dec. 6, 1916, to her parents, Charles Russell Foster and Nora Virginia Powell Foster. She was born and raised in her family’s home on Gwynn’s Island that was built by her father as a wedding gift to her mother.

Doris attended elementary school on the island and took the ferry to the mainland for secondary school at Cobbs Creek. She married Tommy Loop in 1935, and the family later moved to Yorktown for a few years where Tommy was working during World War II. The family moved back to her grandparents’ home before the war ended. As the children grew up, she began working at Scrooch’s Market, which led to her becoming a postmistress in the Grimstead Post Office which was then located inside the market. She stayed in that capacity until retirement.

After retirement, she enjoyed visiting with her children and grandchildren, traveling with the area postmasters to their conventions, from Hawaii to Puerto Rico, sightseeing with her children in Italy, Germany, and Great Britain; and took a very special trip with Dallas friends to the Holy Land. She even attended several bluegrass festivals in California with her sons, making fast friends on that coast.

When her health became an issue, she moved to Dallas to be near Nowell and his family and closer to Willis and his family. But to Doris, “home” was always Gwynn’s Island. She was a lifelong member of the Gwynn’s Island Baptist Church; the Fidelis Sunday School class; the Gwynn’s Island Civic League; and the Oriental Chapter No. 30, Order of the Eastern Star. She was always ready to serve her community by cooking her famous cherry pie or plain cake, and even delivered Meals on Wheels in her later years.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, John Thomas Loop, to whom she was married 58 years; and her brother, Cmdr. Russell Otis Foster.

She is survived by her children, Nowell Loop and his wife Sallie Loop of Dallas, Texas; and Russell Willis Loop and his wife Judy Loop of Rocklin, Calif.; by her grandchildren, Virginia Loop Mahl and her husband Kevin Mahl of Flower Mound, Texas, Charles Loop and his wife Lian Loop of Coppell, Texas, Jessie Loop Nelson and her husband Mike Nelson of Leesburg, Va., and Russell W. Loop Jr. She is also survived by great-grandchildren Michael, Sallie, Thomas, Nicholas, and Christopher Mahl; Taylor and Jamie Nelson, John and Eric Loop; by her devoted nieces, Lenore Foster Todd and her husband Winfred Todd of Gwynn’s Island, and Rochelle Foster Stacy and her husband Dean Stacy of Virginia Beach. She had many friends in Virginia, Texas, and California; and several loving caregivers in Texas: Gloria, Aisha, Daphne, Joyce, and the dedicated staffs of MyCare, Appletree Assisted Living, and San Remo Nursing Home. She will be greatly missed by all of them.

Visitation with the family was held on Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012, from 6-8 p.m. at the Foster-Faulkner Funeral Home in Mathews with an Eastern Star service at 6 p.m. The funeral service was held at the same location on Monday, Nov. 19, 2012, at 11 a.m. A brief graveside service was held at the Gwynn’s Island Cemetery followed by a reception for family and friends at the Gwynn’s Island Baptist Church.

In lieu of flowers, friends may wish to make a contribution to the Gwynn’s Island Baptist Church Kitchen Fund, Box 26, Gwynn, Va. 23066; The Gwynn’s Island Civic League Cemetery Fund (GILC), Box 5, Gwynn, Va. 23066; or the charity of your choice.