TTCA Mourns the Passing of Hall of Fame Member Jerry Foster

1939 - 2025

Fondly known as “Opa” to his grandchildren, Jerry Foster, age 85, passed away on May 6, 2025. He and his twin brother Jack were born on September 5, 1939, to J. C. and Gladys Foster in Baytown, Texas, where they grew up much like Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn in the bays and on the small islands of their childhood. He was married to Margaret (Marty) Foster in a double wedding with his brother Jack and Marty’s sister Judy on June 21, 1963. Jerry and Marty were married for 62 years. Jerry was blessed with a deep faith in his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and was a member of Lakewood church of Christ in Baytown and of Eagle Community church of Christ in Mont Belvieu.

Jerry was a proud Aggie. He attended Texas A&M University where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets for four years, lettered in tennis, and received his B. S. of Arts in 1963.

Along with his love for the Lord and for Marty, and his passion for his children, grandchildren, and Texas A&M sports, nothing else came close to competing for his endearment and attention than his love for saltwater fishing. Jerry was a saltwater guide for many years. His customers were more than clients to him, many of them becoming lifelong friends. His fishing partners became family to him, and he strove to connect with them in a uniquely personal way while imparting his knowledge and love of fishing to them. Some of his favorite fishing and life moments were spent with his brothers, Jack and Bobby, and ALL their boys, on floundering trips throughout Matagorda Bay.

As an extremely effective and compassionate math teacher and tennis coach, Jerry’s career in education encompassed many school districts across Texas including Orange, Amarillo, Baytown, Freeport, Clear Lake, and Clear Creek. He took great pride in the success of his students both in and out of the classroom and on the tennis court. Jerry took a break for about ten years to open Foster Office Products in Baytown alongside his brother Jack but eventually transitioned back to public education where he continued to inspire and change the lives of many a student and co-worker. One of the stories his family heard him tell numerous times throughout the years was about a student who no one else seemed to believe could succeed, including the student himself and his parents. Jerry took it upon himself to sit the young man in the front of his classroom and counsel him on exactly what he would need to do to pass his class and to graduate, and, to everyone’s surprise but Jerry’s, that’s exactly what happened. Jerry’s heart was often most tender for the underprivileged or struggling student, and he would bring them under his wing rather than write them off as statistics. Those were the kinds of stories Jerry was most proud of and which remained in his memory when other memories were fading.

Jerry was a member of the Texas Tennis Coaches Association, alongside many dear friends and coaching partners, and was inducted into the Texas Tennis Coaches Hall of Fame.

Jerry inherited a love of gardening from his parents, and spent countless hours in retirement grooming beautiful, lush plumeria trees which he would often give away to friends and family. He also devoted much of his time traveling to family gatherings and get-togethers with friends.

Jerry was preceded in death by his baby daughter in 1972; his parents J.C. and Gladys Foster; his twin brother Jack Foster; and his in-laws Ed and Rosemary Riley.

Jerry is survived by his loving and devoted wife Marty; sons Jerry Lee (Babs) and Rich (Kara); his brother Bobby (Cheri) Foster; his brothers-in-law Punchy (Linda) Riley, Bill (Darla) Riley, Randy (Jo) Riley, and sister-in-law Judy Foster. He is also survived by his grandchildren Krista McLarty (Kellen), Amber Foster (Mikey Coursey), Collin Foster (Emma), Allie Foster (fiancé Luke Dollar), Finley Foster, and great grandchildren Cayden, Blake, Jules, Owen, and Campbell, along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Jerry’s family would like to thank all who have prayed for them during this great time of loss. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to a children’s home of your choice.

Visitation will be held from 12 - 1 pm, Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Navarre Funeral Home, 2444 Rollingbrook Drive, Baytown, TX 77521, with the funeral service to begin at 1 pm. Committal will follow at 2:30 pm at Earthman Memory Gardens Cemetery, 8624 Garth Rd, Baytown, TX 77521.

Honored to serve as pallbearers will be: Collin Foster, Finley Foster, John Foster, Dustin Foster, Logan Foster, Kelton Foster, Cameron Foster, and honorary David Foster.