Joy Dean Foster

Bro. Joy Dean Foster was born in McNairy County June 19, 1936, the first child of the late William Paul and Ottie Mae Cox Foster. He was 3 months premature and in 1936 that outcome was seldom good. His mother didn’t name him until she saw he was going to make it. She said he brought them so much “Joy”, so Joy would be his name.

Bro. Foster attended school at Finger and Rose Creek then worked at Caterpillar in Peoria, Illinois in his younger years, before making his home back in McNairy County, logging. He accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior on March 4, 1969, rededicated and surrendered to the ministry of Christ in 1993. In 1999, he retired from logging and began serving as a full time Pastor. He was Pastor at Friendship Baptist Church in Ramer from 2000 until full time retirement in 2012. After retiring as a full time Pastor, he provided supply preaching to local area churches when there was a need. He loved his time supply preaching with Mt. Gilead Baptist,Woodville Baptist, Hatchie Baptist, First Baptist Finger, First Baptist Michie and Chapel Hill Baptist.

He met Nancy Jane Sanders in June 1967 and would tell anyone it was love at first sight for him and “she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen” and the only one who ever made him ask her Daddy before she would go on a date with him. After dating only four months, they were married on October 28,1967 and spent 48 years together until her death in 2015. They truly were best friends.

He loved old cars, coffee, Andy Griffith and telling jokes, but most of all he loved Jesus and his family. He was always happy to share his testimony as proof that Jesus can turn your life around if you allow him into your heart. He was in some way ministering to others right up until his passing. He saw the good in everyone.

Bro. Joy departed this life on Wednesday March 31, 2021 at the age of 84 after complications from a fall and heart failure.

He is survived by a daughter Beverly Knight (Doug) of Michie, a son Reggie Lee Foster of Ohio, granddaughter Lora Leigh Brown (Brandon) of Adamsville, great grandson Rudy Brown, 2 great granddaughters Raeleigh Brown and Raegan Joy Brown (his namesake, of which he was very proud), his youngest brother Ike Foster (Betty) of Hornsby and a host of nieces, nephews, extended family and church friends and wonderful neighbors.

In addition to his parents and his wife, he was preceded in death by a daughter Joyce Rana Foster, 6 younger brothers (Bobby, TN, Roy, Jerry Lee, Arvin & Joe Allen Foster) and his only sister, Pansy Eads.

Pallbearers for Bro. Joy include nephews Jason Foster, John Chandler, Will Chandler, Marc Foster, John Crouse and Robbie Lowrance

Visitation Friday April 2, 2021 5-9pm at Shackelford Funeral Directors in Selmer. Visitation Saturday April 3, 2021 10am - 1pm at Mt. Gilead Baptist Church, with Celebration of Life service at 1pm.

Memorial contributions may be made to Mt. Gilead Cemetery Fund or Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee.