Tributes to woman aged 101, who died after Lake District car crash

Police can confirm that the passenger who tragically died in hospital following the road traffic collision on 19th June on the A592 (see below) has been formally identified as Rene Gladys Foster aged 101 years old from Kendal.

Rene’s family, who describe her as “generous and witty”, have issued the following tribute:

“Rene was a retired civil servant – retired for nearly as long as she had worked having reached 101 years of age.

“Rene was born in Plumstead, London before the start of the First World War, the daughter of a serving soldier and at the age of two was in Hong Kong where her father was stationed. A really poignant memory for Rene and her sister was a visit they made to Frevent, Normandy with their father in 1972 – he had felt a strong desire to return to the area where he had served in the First World War on the front between 1915 - 1919. His daughters were overwhelmed by the warmth which he received from the French.

“As the daughter of a serving officer she spent periods of time in both Hong Kong and Bermuda and one of her first jobs at the age of 16 was as a typist was with a Danish import firm in Hong Kong. She joined the Civil Service in 1932 as a short hand typist in the Air Ministry where she remained until she transferred to the MoD as a higher executive officer.

“She spent many years living in Kent, followed by retirement to Suffolk where she lived with her sister and brother in law. In Suffolk she was a very active member of her local church and served on the Parochial Parish Council when she was in her eighties.  She moved to Kendal in 2003 together with her 91 year old sister to be closer to her niece, Cathy Earle, a deputy headteacher at the Queen Katherine School.

“Rene always expressed surprise that she should end her days ‘in the north’ being such a confirmed ‘southerner’ but she adapted very well! She celebrated her 100th birthday in a cottage near Sawrey and her 101st in another similar venue at Langwathby. At the age of 99 years and 11 months she had an appendectomy  and surprised the entire medical profession with the manner in which she recovered from the operation. She maintained a zest and interest in life throughout; she was a semi regular diner at the Riverside Hotel, Kendal and last year swam in their pool on two or three occasions. Not bad for someone of that age!

“She had a fantastically varied life and had a strength of character, generosity of spirit combined with a bright and witty outlook.”