T. Foster "Coach Foster" Killian

Thomas Foster Killian was born January 21, 1944, in Crowville, Louisiana, to the late Ruth Killian Washington.

He moved to Monroe, Louisiana at an early age and attended Little Flower Academy and Carroll High School. Coach Foster and his teammates at Carroll High School ranked All-District from 1960 to 1964, and he was an All-American two of his four years at Carroll on the basketball team. He was scouted by the late Coach Fred Hobdy from Grambling State College in the 10th grade. After graduating high school he attended Grambling State College on a basketball scholarship, where he and his teammates won SWAC championships three times. He was the leading scorer and top free throw scorer.

Coach Foster graduated with a degree in Health and Physical Education and went to the Boston Celtics Trial Camp, but once there he was called by Uncle Sam to serve in Vietnam.

After serving in the military, he played basketball overseas from 1970-1979 in Spain.

Coach Foster worked for several youth community programs in California and Ohio. He returned home in 1994 and was named the first coach of the Twin City Athletic Association. He was also the Youth Coordinator at Johnson Recreation Center and later became the City’s Athletic Director. He coached AAU and Primetime Ball with over 100 students receiving scholarships. He retired from the City of Monroe in 2013.

Coach Foster was a member of the China Grove Baptist Church. He was an active member of F.D. Thompson Post 521 of the American Legion and several state and national sports organizations.

He leaves to cherish his life, two sons, Kelvin Brown (Monroe, LA) and Byron Jackson (Monroe, LA), and a daughter, Paula Reed Wines (Arlington, Texas); two sisters, Olivia Washington Thomas (Rickey) and Cheryl Washington of Crowville, LA; three brothers, Fred Washington (Oakland, CA), Gus Washington (Oakland, CA), and Otis Washington (New Orleans, LA); and grandchildren and great-grandchildren; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Coach was preceded in death by three brothers, Oscar Killian, Dennis Washington, and Charles Washington.

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