Roger Craig "R. C." Foster

On Saturday, February 25, 2023 beloved tattoo artist, husband, son, brother, uncle, and friend Roger “RC” Craig Foster of Taylorsville passed away at the Gordon Hospice House in Statesville. Roger was in good spirits and kept everyone who visited laughing despite circumstances. Thanks to the hospitality of Gordon staff, Roger was able to share one last sunset with his loving wife, family, and friends on Friday. He was surrounded by friends and family in the days leading to and at the time of his passing.

Roger was a man of many talents; most notably was his artistic ability with a tattoo machine that he spent over 40 years cultivating and loving which he continued up until three days prior to his passing. Roger always joked saying “I wish I had gone to college so that I could sit on my ass drawing pictures on people.” Roger left an impact on the people he met that goes far beyond the tattoos he left in skin. His humor and charisma made it so that he never met a stranger and that no person in his presence wasn’t laughing. Beyond tattooing, Roger was also a very skilled craftsman that could build or repair just about anything. He mixed many of his passions to create beautiful pieces of art from seemingly nothing. An example are the children’s “rocking horses” that he would build out of scrap wood to resemble various models of motorcycles. Many of the rocking motorcycles he built were donated to various fundraising motorcycle rides/events for charity or non-profit organizations. Despite his tough, tattooed exterior Roger was a very kind and compassionate man who loved those close to him immensely. As quoted by his dear friend Terry “I am very fortunate to have a friend like Roger”. This is a sentiment shared by any that met him.

Outside of his many talents Roger loved riding motorcycles with his many friends and family. For many years Roger rode his 1992 Harley-Davidson Softail Heritage that he later painted red with yellow flames and a chrome front fender in resemblance of the “Billy” bike from Easy Rider. Roger also owned a custom-built 1960 Harley-Davidson Panhead with a springer front-end and a sissy bar made of a Civil War bayonet. Roger loved going on any ride; be it poker runs, organized group rides, or even to “grab a hot dog from the Tamarac”. Roger rode with and was a proud member of Rolling Thunder, Inc. The organization aims to educate the public about Prisoners of War-Missing in Action of all wars in attempt to correct the past and protect the future.

Roger, born November 6, 1956 is survived by his loving wife of 35 years, Brenda Foster; mother, Marlene Morris; sister, Frankie Pruett; nephew, Jeffrey Bostian and his wife McKenzie; dogs, Monkey Butt, Rosey, and Max; and cat, Henson. While Roger loved all his family, friends, and animals he had a special relationship with his little dog, Monkey Butt. He taught Monkey Butt all kinds of tricks. Clients and visitors alike would love to watch Monkey play the piano, ring his bell, sing, dance, and get his prostate checked. The one trick Roger regretted not teaching Monkey was how to detect cancer.

Funeral services will be held at Whitley’s Funeral Home 1748 Dale Earnhardt Blvd. Kannapolis, NC 28083. The family will receive friends from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturday, March 4, 2023, with service immediately following. Reverend Mike “Bird” Burkholder will officiate.

The family would like to thank Gordon Hospice House of Statesville for their kindness, hospitality, and care given during Roger’s stay.

“Tattoo artists don’t die, they just fade away…” – Roger “RC” Foster