Reverend Joe Allen Foster, SR.

Our story begins March 24, 1947, where a bouncing baby boy was born to John.D. Foster and Oneta Holmes in Fort Worth, Texas. The proud parents decided to name him Joe Allen Foster. Reared in a strong Christian home, Joe developed a love for Christ at a very early age. While attending vacation bible school at Rosen Heights Baptist Church, he confessed his hope in Christ and was baptized by the late Reverend M. C. Graves, pastor of Worth Hill Baptist Church. It was here, that Joe Boy, as he was affectionately known, identified his ear for music as he sat with his mother while she sang and played the piano, eventually playing for the junior choir at the age of 4 or 5. With inspiration and tutelage from the great Dr. Bobby Baylor and Miss Lola Pulliam he began his musical journey. After only 3 or 4 lessons he became the youth choir and Sunday School musician, receiving a “love offering” of $2.50 each 2nd Sunday.

A vibrant, joyful, and smart young man, Joe matriculated through the Fort Worth school system, graduating from the historic Milton L. Kirkpatrick High School in June 1965. While attending school Joe loved music so that he would walk from his home on the hill to Shiloh Baptist Church where the late Pastor Albert E. Chew would allow him to play one of the Northside’s only Hammond C3 organs. At the age of 15, at the advisement of his school music teacher, he would take on the great task of minister of music at Como First Missionary Baptist Church, the late Pastor H.D. Steptoe. He was a natural leader and successfully handled four choirs. The success of the choirs allowed him to meet great people, as they were called upon to sing for the president of the Texas Baptist Convention and the National Baptist Convention. It was here that he met and accompanied Francine Reese Morrison and Reverend James Cleveland on several occasions. Not only did Como First put him before great people, as God would have it, he also met the love of his life Lady Helen Marie Hill. After a brief courtship, the two became one, entering into holy matrimony on May 28, 1968. To this union blossomed 6 children, 13 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren.

In 1971 Joe yielded to the call from the Lord and followed in the footsteps of both his grandfather Reverend Clinton Holmes, Sr. and his father Elder J.D. Foster, Sr, preaching his first sermon on Mother’s Day at the Antioch Baptist Church, under the leadership of the late Pastor O.L. Hegmon. Reverend Foster served faithfully until becoming assistant to the pastor and organist at Rising Star Baptist Church under the late Dr. T.H. Davis. It was here, in 1975, Reverend Foster heeded the voice of the Lord, once again and was called to his first pastoral assignment, Grandview, Texas’ first Baptist church, Bethlehem Baptist Church. During this first year, 12 souls were baptized and added to the fold.

Bethlehem was not his stopping point, for the next year he would be called to pastor Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church where God used him in a mighty way from 1975 – 1986. It was also during this time that his desire to serve widened and he enrolled in mortuary school. Upon completion, his servitude continued as a Certified and Licensed Funeral Director and Mortician. After studying under the well-known Mr. Herbert Baker for 4 years at Baker’s Memorial Funeral Home, Joe ventured out on his own to open Foster’s Family Circle Funeral Chapel from 1981 to 1990. While working at Baker’s, Reverend Foster would meet a life-long friend embodied in the late great Dr. Gregory W. Spencer. After the closing of Foster’s Family Circle, Reverend Foster along with the late Reverend McKinley Jackson, Sr.

would join Dr. Spencer in the formation of Gregory W. Spencer’s Funeral Directors where he faithfully served, mentored and guided many of the morticians and funeral directors that you know today.

Over the years Reverend Foster was called to serve many ministries in different capacities:

* Greater Worth Hill Baptist Church (his home church) - Pastor (1986 – 1996)

* Summerfield Christian Fellowship – Pastor/Founder (1996 – 1999)

* Greater Strangers Rest Baptist Church- Male Chorus (1999 - 20

* Sweet Home Baptist Church – Minister and Staff Musician

* Greater Friendship Baptist Church – Interim Pastor

* Rose Hill Baptist Church – Pastor

In 2009, Rose Hill Baptist Church merged with Mar’s Hill Baptist Church and was renamed One Hope One Vision under the leadership of Rev Early Jones. Later becoming the pastor of New Rose Baptist Church, where Reverend Foster served as pastor until his retirement in 2020. Never leaving the church Pastor Foster remained as an advisor and Senior Pastor and musician at New Rose, serving under the leadership of Pastor Phillip Gray, Sr.

Reverend Foster, always believing you’re never too old to learn, returned to school in 2016 to formally study music, graduating in 2019 with an Associates of Art in Music at the young age of 72.

September 20th, 2022 Reverend Joe Allen Foster, Sr. answered one final calling of the Lord to come home. Preceding him in death: His maternal and paternal grandparents; Mother, Oneta Holmes; grandson Samuel Foster Brothers: Willie Foster, Robert Foster and Michael Spellman; Sister – Carolitta Henderson, and several Aunts and Uncles

Celebrating the legacy that he leaves behind: his faithful and loving wife of 54 years, Helen; Children: Robin Wright (Michael), D’Shon Foster, Toi Foster, Nichole Foster, Precious Jones (Brandon) and Joe Jr (Cynthia); 13 grandchildren: Antonio (Erica), RoShawn, Mictrice, Angel, Nicholas, Anthony, Tyler, Phoenix, Amaya and Nova, Jocelyn, Jalisa and Jasariah; 5 great grandchildren; Ashtyn, Kaiden (his #1), Easton, Rylee, and Kace; godson: Fred Willis; His father Elder J.D. Foster; Brothers: John Foster, Pastor Gregory Foster; Sisters: Bobbie Morrison, Beverly Foster, Callie Struggs, Pastor Darlene Body, Renea Gray (Phillip) and Mary Davidson: his childhood friend of 66 years, Rev. Charles Walker and a host of

nieces, nephews, cousins, sons in the gospel, mentees, and friends.

Reverend Joe Allen Foster is loved, respected, and will be missed by many. Rest well Daddy until we meet again.

Please keep the Foster Family & the Gregory W. Spencer Family in your prayers as we accept the will of our God. We say Not Goodbye Rev. but we say "Until Then"

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.gwspencerdirs.net for the Foster, SR. family.