Timothy Dale Foster Sr. passed away on January 27, 2019 in Myrtle Creek, OR. He was born March 2nd, 1954 to Charles Ervin Foster and Sarah Blanche Bechtol Foster at Baylor Hospital in Dallas, Texas and was 64 years old. He was the second of four children.
Tim grew up 20 miles from downtown Dallas in a small farming community and that was how he identified himself. He was active in the FFA showing steers and helping run the concession stands. He loved playing baseball, chewing gum and watching the Dallas Cowboys. He loved his family and told many stories of his childhood, including stories about family dinners and gatherings, working in his father’s service station and digging ditches. He especially enjoyed sharing stories of his granddad. He went to church a couple of blocks from his home and he could often be found there. When he was in high school he taught the junior high boys’ Sunday school class. He also sang in the choir where he sang his first solo.
Tim began taking night classes at Criswell Bible College, and preached his first sermon while he was still in high school. He lived in the same house in Sachse his whole life until he met and married Sherrie. She often would say that she found him wandering in the wilderness and brought him up to Oregon to the promise land! Later he and Sherrie both attended Criswell Bible College. The couple was married while Tim worked to complete his Master’s Degree. Their first daughter Autumn was also born during this time.
The family moved to Canyonville, OR where Tim served at First Baptist for over seven years. While there they added a son, Tim Jr. and a daughter Katrina to their family. From Canyonville, they were called to Emmanuel Baptist Church in The Dalles, OR where he served for twenty four years. During this time Anna, Wesley and Josh were born. God then called them to First Baptist Myrtle Creek, where he served until his stroke. They also started Canyon Creek Christian Fellowship in Canyonville and he was there until he went home to be with Jesus.
Tim was a gentle, quiet natured man. He loved to whistle and if you stopped by the church and caught him unaware, you’d probably catch him singing. He loved to laugh and was fond of a good joke. He always had joke books open and ready in his office and at home by his chair. His children have fond memories of him reading to them. He would be very animated and he would do all the character voices. Every character had a different voice and sometimes accents. He also enjoyed camping with his family, riding bikes, sitting around the campfire and playing Skip-Bo. Above all else, Tim wanted to be found faithful to the Lord.
Tim is survived by his wife Sherrie; children, Autumn Joy, Timothy Dale Jr. (wife Karlie and their children; Timmy, Gracie, and Evie Joy), Katrina Marie (husband Matt Gillis and their children; Micah, Audrey, and Addie), Annabeth Lee (husband Nick Anderson and their children; Henry and Gus), Wesley (wife Sarah and their child Charlie), Joshua (wife Danae and their child Ellie Joy); brothers Gene (wife Francis), Mike (wife Karen); sister Kathy Helm; and numerous nieces and nephews.