Rev. Martha Foster Jones, age 84, passed away in Springfield, Missouri on May 2, 2018 having suffered the long-term effects of Parkinson's Disease. Born May 22, 1933 in Columbus, Georgia to Douglas Lee Foster, Sr. and Hattie Mae Wheelis Foster, she grew up there as the oldest of nine children and graduated from Jordan High. After working in San Francisco, California to save up money she attended Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri before transferring to Southeastern Bible College in Lakeland, Florida. She was the first certified teacher to graduate from what is now Southeastern University.

Upon marrying C. Odell Jones in 1962, she joined him as they pioneered a church in Marathon, Florida (Chapel by the Sea) while they both taught elementary school prior to becoming missionaries with the Assemblies of God. They served in the West African countries of Liberia and Benin from 1971-1989 when they took positions with ICI (now Global University) in Belgium followed by a time of teaching at Continental Theological Seminary there. 1997 saw them return to the United States to join Global University stateside.

Preceded in death by her husband, parents, oldest brother, youngest sister, and granddaughter, Jordan Hayes, Martha is survived by son Stephen and wife Jenny (Springfield, Mo), daughter Jennifer Hayes and husband Scott (Ozark, Mo.) along with seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, six siblings and her many nieces and nephews.

Martha was known for her hospitality, great meals, needle work and, if she could bring herself to sit down, love of Christian novels. She had a willing heart for service and was willing to go anywhere the Lord sent her, except Africa. So of course she ended up in Africa and fell in love with Liberia and Benin and the people there who became her own. She thrived in an environment few thought she would survive and her heart beat to an African drum. She followed her Lord and Savior her entire life and her obedience led her to a fulfilling and adventurous life. She is loved and missed by a world of people whose lives she impacted.