Reverend Otis Gregory Foster

Reidsville, NC - It is with profound sorrow that we announce the death of Reverend Otis Gregory Foster 63, of 612 Piedmont Street, Reidsville, North Carolina. At sunrise on Monday, February 16, 2026, Otis peacefully departed this earthly life and entered into the eternal Kingdom of his Heavenly Father at his residence.

Otis Gregory Foster, affectionately known as “Big Otis” and “Big O,” was born on August 06, 1962, at Annie Penn Hospital in Reidsville, North Carolina, as the third-born son of the late James Edward Foster and JoAnn Redd Foster.

Otis graduated from Bartlett Yancey High School in 1980. He later attended North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, North Carolina and was a graduate of Greensboro Bible Institute. In September 1987, he married his high school sweetheart, Tonya Gwynn, and from that great love, they were blessed with three amazing children: their son John Tyler and their twins, daughter Jaimee and son Justin.

A Man Who Built with His Hands and His Heart

Those who knew Otis knew a man whose love for his family was surpassed only by his willingness to work tirelessly on their behalf. He began his career at Carolina Steel before following his entrepreneurial spirit into general contracting, where he built homes across North Carolina, pouring not just foundations, but pieces of himself into every structure he constructed. Over the last decade, Otis found a professional home and a second family at Goodwill Industries, where he remained a devoted employee until his passing. The relationships he formed there were a testament to who he was: a man who turned coworkers into family wherever he went.

A Man of Unwavering Faith

Above all, Otis was a man of God. His faith was not something he simply professed on Sundays; it was the foundation upon which he built his entire life. A lifelong member of Blackwell Missionary Baptist Church, Otis answered the call to ministry and preached his initial sermon in 1996 and continued to serve faithfully as an associate minister over the years at Blackwell, until his recent illness. Even in those final days, Otis held fast to the Word of God, finding peace and comfort in the promise that his Father had not forsaken him and that a place in His Kingdom awaited.

The Spirit of Big O

To know Otis was to know laughter, peace, joy, and a serenity that few people carry so naturally. He was a man who refused to dwell in sorrow or anger, choosing instead to find comfort in life’s simple and beautiful gifts: a quiet afternoon of fishing, time spent with his siblings (especially his three brothers), an exciting sporting event on television, or the roar of engines at a racing event. He lived without judgment, treated every person he met with love and compassion, and would have given you his last dollar or the shirt off his back without a moment’s hesitation. Otis did not merely pass through this world; he made it warmer, kinder, and more joyful for every soul, fortunate enough to know him. It is precisely these qualities that made him so irreplaceable, and it is precisely why his absence is felt so deeply by all who loved him.

Forever in Our Hearts

Otis was preceded in death by his beloved parents James Edward Foster and JoAnn Redd Foster, and he now joins them in the eternal Kingdom.

He leaves behind a legacy of love that lives on through his first love Tonya Gwynn Foster; his three cherished children John Tyler Foster, Jaimee Foster, and Justin Foster (Brittany); his four grandchildren Leeland Heath Foster, Grayson Roy Foster, Jaimeson Alan Foster, and Nathan Bowen all of Greensboro, NC; his four siblings Antonio “Tony” Foster (Marceai) of Ruffin, NC, Clinton “Kenny” Foster (Jeanette) of Pelham, NC, Reginald “Reggie” Foster of McLeansville, NC, and Princess Sirlena Pinnix (Nate) of Brown Summit, NC; his three uncles Donald Foster (Evelyn) of Pelham, NC, Larry Foster (Carolyn) of Yanceyville, NC, and Leslie Foster of Pelham, NC; his three aunts Lillie Yancey of Pelham, NC, Mollie Turner of Reidsville, NC, and Audrey Morgan of Philadelphia, PA; and a host of beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members, and his treasured Goodwill work family.

While our hearts grieve, we celebrate a life lived with integrity, faith, laughter, and love. Otis was not only important; he was irreplaceable. His legacy lives on in the strength of his family, the lessons he taught, the faith he modeled, and the countless lives he quietly uplifted.

Well, done, Big O.

You were a good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Heavenly Father. We love you! May his memory be a blessing, and may we honor him by loving one another without judgment or condition as faithfully as he loved each of us.

The family will be receiving family and friends of Antonio and Marceai Foster‘s residence at 933 Ashland Road, in Ruffin, NC from 12:00noon – 6:00p.m. from Wednesday to Friday.

A public viewing for Reverend Otis Gregory Foster will be on Friday, February 20, 2026; from 4:00p.m. to 7:00p.m. in the John and Juanita S. Fulton Memorial Chapel of Fulton-Walton Funeral Home.

A family visitation for Reverend Otis Gregory Foster will be on Saturday, February 21, 2026; from 2:30p.m. to 3:00p.m. at Blackwell Missionary Baptist Church in Yanceyville, NC.

Funeral service for Reverend Otis Gregory Foster will be conducted at 3:00p.m. on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at Blackwell Missionary Baptist Church in Yanceyville, NC. Pastor Quinzel L. Comer, Sr. will deliver the Words of Comfort.

Interment will follow in Blackwell Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery in Yanceyville, NC.

You are invited to attend services for Reverend Otis Gregory Foster virtually by clicking on the following link:

Reverend Otis Gregory Foster (Viewing)

Reverend Otis Gregory Foster (Funeral)

Should Live Streaming not be available due to certain conditions resulting from rural location with little to no Broadband connection, no WIFI signal and or little to no cellular coverage, we will record the services of your loved one in its entirety and post a link where you will be able to partake in the services within 48 hours.

Location:  Fulton-Walton Funeral Home 219 Dillard School Dr. Yanceyville, NC.

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