By Matthew Monfore April 12, 2021, photo by Mike Snow of mikesnow.org
Joe Foss was born in 1915 near Sioux Falls, SD and died in Scottsdale, AZ in 2003. During World War II he served as a Marine fighter pilot becoming an “Ace”, ending up shooting down 26 (which tied a World War I record) enemy aircrafts- he received the Medal of Honor from President F.D. Roosevelt. He was shot at, and had to swim to shore after ditching at sea.
Most important, Foss became a born-again Christian. At his funeral at Scottsdale Bible Church, they played a video of Joe Foss encouraging people to know where they are going before they die: “Each one of us is one breath away from leaving this great world of ours, and it’s better to know where you’re going“
In the words of Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ, “John Wayne was an actor. Joe Foss is real”. Joe Foss even turned down $750,000 and the chance to have John Wayne play him in a movie.
After a first divorce, the once cigar-smoking, whiskey-drinking, foul-mouthed, absentee husband and father came to Christ, thanks in part to his second wife Didi.
Joe Foss had one child with cerebral palsy and another with polio, and two stepchildren. He served in an organization to help disabled people. He was also president of the National Rifle Association, president of the American Football League (which later merged with the NFL), a football player for the University of South Dakota, had his own TV show about the outdoors, and was former Governor of South Dakota in the 1950’s.
The Bible teaches none of our “successes” matter without Jesus. Will you come to Him today?
Sources:
The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw; Dell Publishing, division of Random House, Inc., “Joe Foss”, pgs. 115-124
Arizona Republic Jan 10, 2003 via
arlingtoncemetery.net/jjfoss.htm
And article “Joe Foss, 87, Who Led Football League, Is Dead” via
arlingtoncemetery.net/jjfoss.htm
