Suzanne Foster

Suzanne Kline Foster is a retired teacher who resides in Suffolk, Virginia. She taught kindergarten and first grade in Portsmouth, Virginia, and second, fourth and fifth grades in Chesapeake, Virginia. She holds a BS in education and an MS in curriculum and instruction from Radford University, as well as a certificate of advanced study in leadership and supervision from Old Dominion University. Suzanne loved making connections with the students she taught and enjoyed watching them learn and grow each year. Suzanne has always loved being in the great outdoors. Suzanne and her husband, David, have one son, Hunter. For years, the family has been working on growing chestnut trees. This whole journey began with an inspiration I had as a teacher about 20 years ago when Audrey Penn visited the elementary school where I was working to read the book she had authored entitled, "The Kissing Hand." After my father passed away two years ago, a huge void was left upon our family. My father had learned about the blight of the chestnut trees from my father-in-law when they would go to "the farm" in Monterey, Virginia, and my dad became interested in trying to do his part to restore chestnut trees, too. My mother even gave a presentation about chestnut trees and the blight to the garden club. My son also became interested in chestnut restoration and began planting many chestnut trees at our home. Ultimately, it came to be that a book should be written to teach young readers about the chestnut trees, the blight, and to honor my father and his kind and generous nature. He is Bill Bear, and our knowledge of and care for the chestnut trees all started in Monterey, Virginia.