Mildred Kirby Foden

Asheville - Mildred Elizabeth Kirby Foden, 78, of 24 Dellwood Street, passed away Wednesday, June 20, 2007 at the John F. Keever, Jr. Solace Center. A native of Caldwell County, NC, she had resided in Buncombe County since April of 1993. She was the daughter of the late William Glenn and Essie Rae Crotts Kirby and a 1946 graduate of Fines Creek High School in Haywood County. Mrs. Foden was a 40 year veteran of the Salvation Army. Two years prior to entering the School of Officers Training and upon commissioning, she assisted in the Mountain Mission with Major Cecil Brown, who had a profound influence on her life and set the tone for total commitment, humbleness and work for Mrs. Fodens officership. She was part of the Warriors Session. Together with her husband as officers in the Southern Territory, Mrs. Foden have served in the Corps and area commands in the Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, Kentucky and Tennessee, and Georgia divisions. Their love for people has endured them to the soldiery and the public where they have been stationed. Mrs. Foden has been a great enthusiast of the girl guard, home league, and senior citizens programs. Although fully committed to her work, she strove to keep her family a priority. Time around the dinner table with their three children was a rule which reinforced those important bonds and helped keep them on the right track. She was not only a proud parent, but a proud grandparent of seven. Surviving are her husband of 51 years, Major Harry Samuel Foden; children, Sam Foden (Alice) of Snellville, GA, Lisa Kidder (Ed) of Tuscaloosa, AL, and Tom Foden (Melanie) of Lafayette, GA; seven grandchildren; brother, Kenneth E. Kirby (Mary) of Asheville; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM Monday in the chapel of Anders-Rice Funeral Home, with Major Terry Israel and Major Vern Jewett officiating. Burial will follow in the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 PM Sunday at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to the Salvation Army, PO Box 1778, Asheville, NC 28802.