Rev. Dr. Joseph P. Hester

High Point Rev. Dr. Joseph Pearson Hester, 74, of 900 Parkwood Circle, passed away Monday, March 24, 2008. A native of High Point, Dr. Hester was the son of the late Walter Filmore and Rebecca Crowder Hester. In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by a son, Joe Hester, Jr., and a brother, Bob Hester. He grew up in a fun Christian family and was saved at the age of 12. He was a 1955 graduate of NC State University with a degree in Chemical Engineering, and was immediately called into the US Air Force to serve as a fighter pilot, guarding Washington, DC and Norfolk, VA for five years. He continued serving as a US Air Force Reserve pilot until 1983, retiring with the rank of Lt. Colonel. Dr. Hester was called to preach in 1963 while in Houston, TX. He attended and graduated in 1970 from Southwestern Baptist Seminary with a Doctorate of Theology. For thirty years, he served seven churches as a pastor or pastor of world missions in Texas, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina. In 1992, he resigned as pastor of world missions at West Asheville Baptist Church to answer the call to take volunteer missionaries to Russia and the Ukraine. Through his work, along with his wife Marjorie, they have led hundreds of volunteers on 17 trips to Russia and Ukraine, with their teams having started 63 churches through street evangelism and citywide preaching. Dr. Hester has also taught in the New Testament Department at Fruitland Bible Institute for 20 years. Surviving are his wife of 54 years, Marjorie Barnes Hester, of the home; children: Scott Hester (Victoria) of Jacksonville, FL, Marc Hester (Sharon) of Chicago, IL, Michael Hester (Suzie) of Richmond, VA, Jennifer Steele (Robert) of High Point, and Amy Montgomery (Scott) of Dallas, TX; brothers: Walter Hester of Detroit, MI, Jerry Hester of Winston-Salem, and Scott Hester of Charlotte; sisters: Becky Wyatt of High Point, and Margaret Wigglesworth of Jacksonville, NC; 16 grandchildren and several nieces and nephews all of whom love and serve the Lord in various communities. Funeral services will be held at 2 PM Friday at West Asheville Baptist Church, with Dr. Fred Wolfe, Dr. James Johnson, and Dr. Kenneth Ridings officiating. Entombment will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, with military graveside rites. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 PM Thursday at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to further the Gospel around the world to Missionary Encouragers, Inc., 900 Parkwood Circle, High Point, NC 27262. Anders-Rice Funeral Home is assisting the Hester family with arrangements.