We celebrate the life of Enola Kay Richardson Foust!

Enola Kay Richardson Foust passed away peacefully surrounded by family after a battle with B-cell lymphoma (a rare heart cancer) on March 22, 2023, at 7:50 pm at the Beacon Place Hospice Center in Greensboro, NC. Born in Greensboro, Guilford County, NC on July 12th, 1954, to Jessie Richardson and the late, Herman Richardson. Enola Kay was preceded in death by her brother Hermando Jerral (Angie- living) Richardson of Kenosha WI, and her husband of 45 years, Douglas Foust, who died on October 24th, 2021.

Enola was highly educated as well as an educator. In 1972, she graduated from Northeast High School in Guilford County, NC with High Honors. During high school, Enola was the captain of the cheerleading team and crowned Miss Northeast her senior year. In 1976, Enola received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education with a Minor in Home Economics, a/k/a Health and Consumer Science at UNCG where she also met the love of her life, Douglas Foust, who also attended and graduated from UNCG. Although Enola could have elected to pursue her career after college, she chose to first become a homemaker. She utilized her homemaking gifts and talents to become a seamstress and designer. Enola designed riding outfits for people who were in horse shows, weddings, prom dresses, and 3-piece suites. Anyone who needed alterations, she would fix it.

Not only was Enola dedicated to her family, but also to her community. Enola chartered a 4-H club in the black community and started a licensed daycare provider in her home. Once she got her last child into kindergarten in 1991, pursued her career as an exemplary employee for Case WV Head Start program for the enrichment and education of preschoolers. Enola even obtained her CDL to drive her students to and from school. She was promoted from lead teacher to administrator. Additionally, she was a coordinator of Case Schools which included Concord University DayCare, Princeton Community Hospital Day Care, and Athens after-school programs. Additionally, she worked at First Community Bank, formerly known as Princeton Bank and Trust.

Throughout her career and adult life, Enola was committed to adult learning, infant child learning, childcare, and working in the Mercer County Public Schools. While pursuing her Master’s degree, she ran the WV apprenticeship program and taught and trained adults in childcare and development. Under her teachings, adult students were able to obtain their licenses and start careers in-home daycare, and public and private daycare centers, many of whom are still operating successful daycare centers across the state. Enola taught STARS and became the Regional and then Statewide coordinator of Apprenticeship Programs in WV. Later, she graduated from West Virginia University with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Development Special Education, and just a couple of credits shy of obtaining her Doctorate degree from WVU she became a caregiver for her husband as his health was failing.

She maintained her expertise by continuing her education and being of service to others. As a Mercer County Public School teacher, she started at Pikeview High School (PVHS) as the Health and Consumer Science Teacher. There she was also the coach of the Pikeview Panthers cheerleading team. Although she retired in 2017 from PVHS, she returned as a substitute teacher three months later due to the Mercer County teaching shortage. Enola worked at every school in Mercer County ranging from primary school to high school. She ended her career in 2022 as the lead teacher of the Pre-kindergarten class at the Learning Tree House.

Enola had many achievements. She was a grant writer for churches, youth centers, neighborhood playgrounds, and more to receive money for any building projects and equipment that was needed. Additionally, she was a major grant writer for the state of NC to put into WV legislation an apprenticeship program funding and rating system. Although beginning to show signs of illness and grieving the loss of her husband she felt that she could not stop teaching and was contractually obligated to finish what she started.

Although she had many achievements and accomplishments, she loved the Lord first. Enola was a member of Cornerstone Family Church, her home church, located in Princeton WV where she served in children’s ministry, dance ministry, and being a mother of the church. She was always encouraging and served God, her family, her church, and her community with a spirit of humility and love. Enola’s hobbies included traveling the country with her husband, cooking, volunteering, writing short stories, and just being present and serving anyone who needed help or guidance.

Enola is survived by her mother, Jessie Richardson of Brown Summit. She leaves cherished memories with her four children: Celita Foust of Princeton WV; Lavonda (Kevin) Daniels of Beaufort, NC; Kaila Foust of Princeton WV; and Nathan (Tashina) Foust of Durham NC; her grandkids; Corban Honor Esaias Johnson of South Korea serving in the US Army, Anaya Kay Churchill Foust, Alaoni Soraya Foust Hill, and Briella May Churchill Foust; five siblings: Warren (Teresa) Richardson of Brown Summit NC; Linda (Lamont) Andrews of Concord NC; Alice (Matthew) Jones of Fort Washington MD; Vanetta (William) Busch of Little Rock, AR; and Michael Richardson of Brown Summit NC. She was blessed with a large host of extended family.

Her funeral will be held 12:00PM on Saturday, April 1, 2023 at Locust Grove Baptist Church, 4707 NC-150, Browns Summit, NC. Visitations will start 1hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will follow in Lakeview Memorial Park.

Woodard Funeral Home is in charge of the funeral arrangements. **Woodard Funeral Home is not affiliated with any other funeral homes.