Georgana Mary Falb was born May 15, 1928 in Postville, Iowa to George Harry Falb and Myrtle Marie (Kerr) Falb. She grew up in the agricultural town of Elgin, Iowa. Her father was a postmaster and automobile dealer, as well as the mayor for fourteen years. Her mother taught physical education and home economics and coached the girls basketball team. Falb attended the Elgin public school, graduating in 1945 as valedictorian.

In high school, Foster worked in the public library and a canning factory, as well as delivered newspapers. Falb became active with the Camp Fire Girls in 1940 and served as a camp counselor for three years at Camp Hitaga in Walker, Iowa during the summers of 1945-1946 and 1953. In 1947 she was a camp counselor at Camp Hiwela in Wild Rose, Wisconsin. During 1954, Falb worked as a Field Secretary and Day Camp Director for the Iowana Council of Camp Fire Girls in Cedar Rapids.

Falb attended Upper Iowa University from 1945 to 1947 before transferring to the State University of Iowa (now the University of Iowa), where she received a B.A. in sociology in 1949. She earned a second B.A. in General Studies from the University of Massachusetts in 1989. The degree was a self-designed program and focused on South Asian studies, emphasizing popular art and worship of Hindu goddesses.

From 1949 to 1952 Falb worked as a short term missionary in India with the Women's Division of Christian Service of the Methodist Church. While there, she met her future husband, John Henry Foster. They wed on September 4, 1954 at the Providence, Rhode Island, Friends Meeting, a Quaker church. While her husband attended graduate school, Georgana Foster worked as a secretary/receptionist for the Family and Children's Service in Ithaca, New York from 1954 to 1957. After this, she was the Secretary to the Director of the Smith College Nursery School from 1957 to 1958. Other organizations that Foster volunteered for include the League of Women Voters of Amherst, the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and the Leverett, Massachusetts, Town Historical Commission.