On November 14, 84 year-old local icon Carl Foster, passed away peacefully at Bellinger River District Hospital, with family by his side.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend Carl’s Requiem Mass to be celebrated in St. Mary Immaculate, Mother of God Catholic Church, Park Street, Bellingen on Saturday, November 22 commencing at 11am.

In lieu of floral tributes the family would appreciate donations to the Bellingen Lions Club, a collection box will be at the church.

On advice from the Foster family, the service is expected to go until approximately 12.30pm, when afterwards a funeral procession will travel along Bellingen’s main street (Hyde St) and then onto the Catholic Monumental Cemetery, Bellingen.

Traffic delays are expected at this time.

The tributes for Carl from the community have begun. Here are two.

Carl Foster was one of the founding fathers of Bellingen Lions Club having helped organise the charter of the club in October 1954 and maintained his membership throughout our 60 year history.

He was active in Lions until he passed away on Friday 14 November.

Carl had held all positions in our Club throughout the years and served as a Board Member for the whole 60 years.

He was awarded a life membership in 1989, and recognised with a 50 year medal from the Australian Lions Foundation in 2004. Carl was also awarded the highest honour for a Lion the prestigious "Melvin Jones" award, and only this year Carl was given his 60 year medal from our District Governor at our Anniversary Night.

A Good Man, A Good Lion, A Great Mate and will be sorely missed by our Club.

Bill Butler, Bellingen Lions Club Secretary.

Carl

The chariots of Heaven

must be in disarray.

God needs roadside assistance,

so...Carl’s been called away.

No need for God to worry.

His trust will be repaid.

And God knows how to pick ’em...

Carl’s master of his trade.

In him, old adage proven:

(too much these days ignored)

“Days spent in honest labour

shall prove their own reward.”

This town has lost an icon;

the ‛Pride’ its boast, I fear;

the market place, a legend;

the shire, a pioneer.

And we have lost a good ’un

we thought would always stay,

’coz Carl’s been ’round forever!

But...God must have his way.

I’m sure, for his good service,

he’ll give God ‛time to pay’.

We must make-do without him...

for Carl’s been called away.

By Will Moody