Joseph “Joe” Lawton Foots was called home to be with our Lord on Sunday, February, 17, 2013, at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, MD. He was born on October 29, 1956, in Racine, WI, to the late Joseph L. Foots and Clemmie Foots. He was the fourth of five children born and was preceded in death by his father and older brother.
Joe was educated in the Racine County School System and graduated from St. Catherine’s High School in 1974. He furthered his education by attending the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and in 1979, he graduated with a degree in business.
Joe accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior at an early age. He united with the Wayman African Methodist Episcopal Church in Racine, WI. Throughout his life Joe traveled and resided in many cities where he joined places of worship, including, Mt. Pisgah AME Church and Jackson Chapel United Methodist Church and served in various capacities within these churches.
In 1981, Joe united in marriage to the former Robbie Thompson. To this union his only son was born. In 1987, he united in marriage to the former Janet Dearborn. To this union a daughter was born. Janet entered the union with a daughter, whom Joe loved and raised as his own.
Joe loved to be his own boss and had a true, entrepreneurial heart. He was dedicated to making the world incorporate the trades back into the school system and therefore started the MTF Freight Company and Skilled Tradesmen Services, later expanding into the Skilled Tradesmen Trade School. Skilled Tradesmen Services (STS) placed Plumbers, Electricians, HVAC and Skilled labors in the Construction industry, first in Texas, then in Maryland. The greatest professional accomplishment Joe achieved was the formation and approval of the 501-3c non-profit Skilled Tradesmen Trade School (STTS) in 2006. STTS is one of only three State of Maryland certified Trade Schools.
After being diagnosed with congestive heart failure and kidney disease, Joe took an early retirement, but never lost that entrepreneurial drive and continued to mentor those who wished to pursue careers in the Trades.
In addition to his mother, Joe leaves to cherish fond memories; his two daughters, Janal (James) Wyatt of Houston, TX, and LaCole Foots of Adelaide, South Australia; one son, Devallon Foots of Hamburg, PA; four grandchildren, Amanda, Aaron, and Jamie Wyatt of Houston, TX and Amaya Foots of Hamburg, PA; three sisters, Sandra Exum, Debra Foots, and Yvonne (Robert) Allen, all of Frederick, MD; two nieces, Tamara Exum and Tiffany Exum, both of Frederick, MD; and two nephews, Robert “Bobby” Allen IV of Killeen, TX and Jordan Allen of Frederick, MD. Joe also leaves his loving and devoted fiancée, Diane Ross; godchildren, LaKeisha and LaRita Pearson; and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and loved ones to celebrate his life.
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