Joe Boy Lester

Joe Boy Lester was born in Dallas, Texas, on September 28, 1933, to John Bailey Lester and Dorothy O’Neill Lester. He graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1951 and the University of North Texas in 1955 with a B.B.A.

He was a man who loved his wife, his family, his church and any sort of sport involving a ball. He played baseball, football, slow- and fast pitch-softball, bowling and for years, golfed as often as he could squeeze in a round and spent hours working on his swing in the backyard. But over and above all of these, his first love and the driving force for his life was his love for his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

When he was a young high schooler, his only sibling and twin sister Jeanice played the piano at East Dallas Baptist Church in their neighborhood. She persuaded him to attend with her when she told him by doing so he would be allowed to join the church’s fast-pitch softball team. When the altar call was presented at one Saturday evening church meeting, he went forward and made his personal profession of faith in Jesus. He then joined the church by baptism in 1948. From that time forward, he was never the same.

After graduating from college, he served in the U.S. Army and then returned to Dallas and went to work for British American, Gulf Oil and eventually retired from Chevron. In 1952, as a freshman in college, he had transferred his membership to East Grand Baptist Church because he wanted to play on their softball team. In 1958, he met Shirley Saffle in Sunday evening Training Union at East Grand Baptist and their first date was to the church’s Valentine Banquet in 1959. They were married in the church in June 1961. Through the almost 56 years of their marriage, Joe and Shirley sought to serve Him through the churches their family joined.

Joe was ordained as a deacon at East Grand Baptist in 1964 and served on multiple committees, became chairman of the deacons, taught high school and young married adult Sunday School classes and sang in the Adult Choir. While a member of Westbury Baptist in Houston, and then North Park Baptist in Pittsburgh, he served on multiple staff search committees, played in every church softball league, began to teach youth Sunday School, sang in the adult choirs, served as a deacon, served on multiple committees of those churches, drove the church bus on Sunday mornings, taught R.A.’s, led January Bible Study classes and continually volunteered himself and his family to do anything needed at their church. Even if leaving on a vacation, no family vacation could commence until after church on Sunday night.

The Lesters eventually joined Tallowood Baptist in August of 1980 after moving back to Texas. Joe immediately joined the Adult Choir, became an active deacon, and was soon teaching in the 10th grade Sunday School department. In the early 1990’s, he learned of the need for a new Sunday afternoon worship leader at the Tremont Retirement Community. This ministry gave him such joy as he tried each week to help the seniors who gathered there. He wanted them to truly “worship” and to be able to at least have a small taste of the worship he experienced week after week as a member of Tallowood. He also volunteered with the ministries at the West End Baptist Church. He moved on to teaching a couple’s Sunday School class in the Sojourner’s department and later volunteered as an assistant in Shirley’s 1st grade children’s choir until she retired from that in 2008.

Wherever Joe went, he lived the Gospel of serving people needing help. No one was too down and out or beyond his care. He looked for anyone who needed practical help – a bag of groceries, a new car battery, a yard that needed mowing, a house that needed some sort of repair, a ride to school, work, their doctor, the store or church. He would eventually ask each one he helped, “Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior?” And as he left them a little bit better than he found them, he wanted to ensure they knew the help he gave was not contingent on their acceptance of Jesus. But he wanted them to know why he was compelled to help them.

Joe is survived by his wife, Shirley; sons Jeffrey, Derek and Phillip; daughter, Susan; son/daughters-in-law Wade McIntyre, Juli Lester, Shaun Lester; grandchildren Blake and wife Soyoung, Brooke, Bailee and Matthew; great grandson Ryder. Also, his sister’s husband, Jim Jones and their children, David Jones, Sarah Jenkins and their families; and his many other nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Jeanice Jones.

As a family, it was so hard for us to see him go through and be a part of his almost 13 year battle with Parkinson’s Disease - which had already claimed the life of his mother, sister and so many other friends in recent years. But through it all, he trusted in God’s plan, God’s timing and the love of God which surpasses all of our understanding. Now we trust that as we walk through the rest of our lives without him, we too will be covered and sustained within and without by the love of our Father God, our oneness through Christ, and through the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

The family asks that any memorial donations be made to:

The Adult Choir Ministry of Tallowood Baptist Church

or

The Library of Tallowood Baptist Church

Tallowood Baptist Church

555 Tallowood Drive

Houston, TX 77024