Josephine Szuyen Chen Foster

With great sadness, Josephine Szuyen-Chen Foster passed away on July 9, 2024, after a courageous 36-month battle with Neuro Endocrine Carcinoma cancer. She was the devoted and loving wife of Robert Foster, leaving behind a legacy of kindness and enduring love. Her personality, warm smile, and genuine care for people endeared her to all who had the privilege of knowing her. Josephine is survived by her family in Taichung, Taiwan – her father Hseuh-Tsun Chen, mother Hsiue Hsu Chen, brother Max Chen, Max’s wife and their two children Sara and Pong Pong.

Josephine left us way too soon at 55 years old, born on June 9, 1969, in Taichung, Taiwan. She grew up in Taichung and attended an elite all-girls school. She then went on to study at one of the top universities in Taipe, Taiwan. Josephine's grasp of the English language was phenomenal, so she transferred to complete her college studies in the US at Oregon State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree. After many years of being a Professional Interpreter, Josephine went on to study at Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey where she earned her Master of Arts in Translation and Conference Interpretation, completing the 2-year study program in just 1 year.

Josephine established herself as one of the top Conference Level Interpreters in the US and travelled all over the World using her skills. With her friendly, gracious and humble personality, she was extremely well liked and made many friends over the course of her travels. Josephine's clients included the US Department of State, many Ivy League Colleges and Universities, US Courts, Defense Department, and many others.

In 2011, Josephine was living in NYC and was on a Department of State trip when she met Robert in Washington, DC. The two of them had a long-distance relationship for 3 years and then moved in together in Clifton, VA in 2014 and they married in 2017.

Josephine had many interests that revolved around her world travels including fine dining, fashion, cruises, art, sightseeing and a genuine interest in meeting and learning of new people and cultures. She also enjoyed piano, walking/hiking, badminton and had recently started playing pickleball.

Josephine's passing leaves a void that cannot be filled, but her memory will live on in the hearts of those who loved her. As we mourn her departure, let us also celebrate the beautiful life she led, and the profound impact she had on those fortunate enough to know her.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the RET Positive site:  https://www.retpositive.org/pages/donate