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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Rev.
4Allen Foster, Jr., who passed away on August 1, 2015; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Allen Foster, Jr. was born on February 6, 1959 in
6Chicago, the third child of the union of Jessie Mae (nee
7Wilson) and Allen Foster, Sr.; and
 
8    WHEREAS, As a child, Allen Foster, Jr. had an insatiable
9thirst for knowledge and loved to read the World Book
10Encyclopedia and he readily reported to his family that he was
11the "smartest" kid in the class; he graduated from Horace Mann
12Elementary School and South Shore High School in Chicago; he
13received his associate degree from Prairie State College; and
 
14    WHEREAS, After graduating from high school, Allen Foster,
15Jr. joined the United States Air Force, serving from 1976 to
161983; he was honorably discharged with the rank of Staff
17Sergeant; and
 
18    WHEREAS, On December 19, 1979, while stationed at Keeler
19Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, Allen Foster, Jr.
20accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior; he was called to
21the ministry in 1980; he was an avid student of the Bible and

 

 

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1the great theologians; he was extremely well-read and an
2extraordinary preacher; and
 
3    WHEREAS, In his 30 years of congregational ministry, Allen
4Foster, Jr. served as associate minister at various churches,
5including Village Bible Church (Park Forest), Christ Temple
6Community Church (Gary, Indiana), Christ Temple Cathedral
7(Chicago), and First Baptist Church (Chicago); he joined
8Merrill Avenue Baptist Church in 1996, where he served as
9Sunday school teacher, evangelism and discipleship leader,
10Chairman of the Mission Department, and Divorce Care Leader; he
11also headed 2 missionary teams to England and Haiti; in 2009,
12he was ordained by the late Rev. Austin Smith, Jr. of
13Compassion Baptist Church (formally Merrill Avenue); while
14there, he served as an associate and interim pastor before
15being elected as senior pastor on December 8, 2013; he
16sincerely loved his church family and devoted himself to their
17care; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Allen Foster, Jr.'s keen knowledge of American
19politics, socio-economics, and world views, both inspired and
20challenged others to learn more about the world in which they
21lived; he was a political pundit to many; his lively commentary
22always gave sound perspective on many subjects; and
 
23    WHEREAS, Allen Foster, Jr. married Audrey Wesley on August

 

 

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14, 1990; their children, Allen III, Jaime, and Mary were
2blessed with a devoted father; over the years, he and Audrey
3loved and cared for many others; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Allen Foster, Jr. was employed by Peoples Gas
5Light & Coke Company (Integrys) in Chicago from 1985 to 2014;
6he retired from the Gas Operation Department as Senior Service
7Specialist No. 1; he formed both loyal and lasting friendships
8in every area of his life; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Allen Foster, Jr. was preceded in death by his
10parents; his grandfather, Jessie; and his aunt, Faynell; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Allen Foster, Jr. is survived by his wife, Audrey;
12his son, Allen III (and his mother, Patricia Foster Cox); his
13daughters, Jaime and Mary (Kenny); his siblings, Kim, Renee,
14Tanya (Kurtray), and Mark; his grandmother, Gertrude; his
15grandchildren, Antonio (A.J.), Jeremy, Amari, Allen, Aiden,
16and Ava; his brother-in-law, John (Kimberly); his
17mother-in-law, Maggie; his father-in-law, John; his aunts and
18uncles, Joann, Loretta, Debra, and Jerry; and his nieces and
19nephews, Justin, Kyle, Demi, Constance, Chanelle, Stephaney,
20Kyle, Dylan, Reagan, and Ryan; therefore, be it
 
21    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
22NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we

 

 

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1mourn the death of Rev. Allen Foster, Jr. and recognize his
2life, commitments, and achievements; and be it further
 
3    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
4presented to the family of Allen Foster, Jr. as an expression
5of our deepest sympathy.