Helen Bradley Foster, 81, died Sept. 15, 2022. She lived in University Grove for 40 years. Brad (Helen to some) was an expert gardener, an avid reader and a dear friend to many.
The first of four children born to Samuel and Betty (Wheat) Foster, Brad grew up in Arnold, Maryland. She attended Annapolis High School and maintained lifelong friendships with fellow classmates.
In her early career, Brad taught special ed and elementary school while rearing her own three children. In her 30s she earned her bachelor of arts and master of arts degree and later a Ph.D. in folklore from the University of Pennsylvania.
In the early ’90s, Brad married Frederick Cooper, whom she had first met as a teenager. They spent many wonderful years at a second home in Greece.
Brad was a passionate gardener. She also was kind and generous, volunteering at the local food pantry and sticking up for less fortunate people throughout her life.
Brad was predeceased by her husband Frederick Cooper and her eldest daughter Berry Griebel. She is survived by her sister Terry Richetta of Walla Walla, Washington; two children Heidi Griebel of Cambridge, Maryland; Chock Griebel of Hope, Maine; and seven grandchildren who adored their “Mimi.”
A private gathering to celebrate Brad’s life will be held at a later date.
