George Joseph (Joe) Foster, longtime educator in the Kansas City school district, passed away Sept. 26, 2016, at his home in Independence at age 71.

He was born June 12, 1945, in Kansas City as the eldest son of George J. Foster and Dorothy Dillon Foster. He attended public schools in Missouri and Texas, graduating from Van Horn High School in 1963. He was selected as an all-Kansas City area football player in his senior year.

Joe attended Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg and played on the college baseball team. He was an outstanding baseball player and won the batting championship in the Ban Johnson League in Kansas City during his college years.

He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1966 and attained the rank of sergeant in his three years of service including a tour in Vietnam as a radio operator. He returned to CMSU after military service and earned his bachelor’s degree in education and later received a master’s degree.
Joe began his career as a physical education and health teacher in Kansas City and worked nearly 40 years at the district before retiring. He was a member of numerous civic and fraternal organizations including the FOE, American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was an avid sportsman and enjoyed golf and bowling as hobbies.

Joe is survived by his son Jesse of Kearney, and by his daughter Michelle Forbes and her husband Travis of Lee’s Summit. Also surviving are his grandchildren Logan Gray and Raven Miller of Lee’s Summit.
He also is survived by his sister Ellen Kellogg of Bloomingdale, MI., and his brother John D. Foster of Carthage, TX, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Carmen Jo Randolph and his brother Jarrett Reed Foster.

Visitation and services will be held Oct. 1 from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Thurman Funeral Home in Richmond with private family burial services with military honors to follow at the family cemetery.