William Riley Foster

Reverend William "Willie" Riley Foster, 88, went to be with the Lord Saturday, February 25, 2017. He was born to Jesse Alfred Foster and Jessie Irene (Tackett) Foster in the Moore community near Berryville, Ark., on February 15, 1929. Soon after, they moved to the Marble area where Willie attended grade school at the Big Sandy schoolhouse. He attended school through the seventh grade when he began working on the family farm. He was drafted into the US Army in 1951 and spent 18 months in Korea building bridges with the engineering corps. After his release, he married the love of his life, Dorothea Marie Evans. They had two sons, James and Martin. He was ordained as an Assembly of God minister in 1974 and spent the remainder of his life pastoring various churches and serving the Lord. He supported his family as a skilled carpenter, and always grew a large enough garden to feed anyone who needed help. He loved his family and his dog, Daisy. Willie was preceded in death by both parents, Jesse Alfred Foster and Jessie Irene (Tackett) Foster, one son, James Alfred Foster, one sister, Edna Pearl (Foster) Spradling, three brothers, Johnie Foster, Archie Foster, and Chet Foster. He is survived by his wife, Dorothea Marie (Evans) Foster of Marble, Ark., two brothers, Noel Foster of Marble, and Kenith Foster of Lenore, Idaho, one son and daughter-in-law, Marty and Traci Foster of Marble, Ark., one daughter-in-law, Marie Mclemore of Pierce City, Mo., one former daughter-in-law, Brenda Holt of Kingston, granddaughter, Joyce Childress (Ryan) of Pierce City, Mo., grandson, Jason Foster (Hui) of Fort Smith, Ark., granddaughter Rachel Wilson (Kyle) of Conway, Ark., granddaughter, Jessica Born (Thomas) of Marble, Ark., five great-grandchildren, Alexis Neumann, Landon and Riley Born, Parker and Luke Wilson. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, February 28, 2017, at Brashears Funeral Home in Huntsville, Ark. with Pastors Ryan Stokes, Dwain Houston, and Bo Bailey officiating. Pallbearers will be Clyde Foster, Doug Foster, Jason Foster, Ryan Childress, Kyle Wilson, and Thomas Born. Honorary pallbearers will be friends of the Church. A graveside service will be held immediately following at Big Sandy Cemetery, with a dinner for family and friends at the Big Sandy church. Arrangements by Brashears Funeral Home, www.brashearsfuneralhome.net of Huntsville.