Drew Fooshee

Jefferson Drew Fooshee

Drew Fooshee, age 64, went to be with his Savior Jesus Christ on July 29, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. The oldest of five, he was born on December 7, 1958 in Abilene, Texas to Dale and Barbara Wooten Fooshee and attended schools in Highland Park and Marshall, Texas, graduating high school in 1977. Drew's years at Texas Tech University were an enormous highlight, and he left there in 1982 with a BBA in Marketing and lifelong friendships with his Phi Delt fraternity brothers and many others.

As President of DF Sales, Inc., Drew thrived professionally as a manufacturer's representative in the aluminum extrusion and powder-coating industries for decades. He was the greatest people-person that ever breathed, and treated every interaction with every prospect and customer he knew as a privilege. Drew was so conscientious about taking care of his clients' needs, he put hundreds of thousands of miles on many cars over the years just to connect with each one personally and worked on their behalf all the way up to his passing.

A proud 6th generation Texan, Drew recalled with fondness the greeting an old "Marlboro Man" cowboy gave him at a west Texas gas station on his drive back from briefly living in California in the early 90's - "Welcome home, son." If there was any question before, Drew now knew he was home and never looked back. Besides his Texas roots, he was also exceptionally proud of his maternal Wooten heritage and the many Wooten landmarks in Abilene that still stand today.

Above all, Drew was a proud follower of Jesus Christ, in whom he placed his faith for salvation at Pine Cove camp in his teenage years. The primary fruit of this walk with Jesus was his tremendous care for others. As a friend remarked, "There was no one more convicted about bringing people happiness than Drew." When Drew walked into a room, he wasn't the one in the spotlight - you were. His passion to make every person he encountered feel seen, heard, and encouraged shaped the lives of hundreds of loyal friends and colleagues. His magnetic ability to craft life-long relationships earned his appearance as a groomsmen or best man in over 40 weddings. The importance of being others-focused was always Drew's mission, making him a constant friend to others through every season of life.

Drew did not just see people on the street, he entered into their lives, always employing what he called his 3-Foot-Rule: if someone is within three feet of you, talk to them. Drew often said, "If you are going through a hard time, go out and bless someone else with an encouraging word or a financial gift." Consequently, he left thousands of surprised and grateful people from all walks of life with generous tips in hand or words of affirmation and vision spoken over them. Bank tellers, dry cleaners, car wash attendants, over-tipped restaurant wait staff, and perfect strangers were among the many recipients of Drew's generosity. Just a week before his death, when asked how he wanted to be remembered, Drew thoughtfully replied, "I want to be remembered as someone who breathed encouragement to every person I met, because you never know what they're going through." His life on this earth was a living reflection of that statement, and the lives of his family and friends have been forever enriched by his aim, and his well-beloved saying: "Go out there and give 'em heaven!"

Drew is reunited in heaven with his parents Dale and Barbara Fooshee and brother Sterling. Left to cherish his memory are his siblings and their spouses Anne Clayton (Chris), Jennifer Elliott (Stewart) and John Fooshee (Lindsay), many adoring nephews and nieces, his beloved girlfriend Kim Billings, and Gina Kinkaid, his faithful associate at DF Sales, Inc.

Viewing will be available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, August 4, 2023 at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road, Abilene, Texas. Graveside services will be held Saturday, August 5, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. at Elmwood Memorial Park, 5750 Hwy 277 South in Abilene. A Celebration of Life service will be conducted thereafter at 11:00 a.m. at The Hamil Family Funeral Home. Lunch will follow at the Wooten Hotel.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to T. Boone Pickens Center for Hospice Care, 12477 Merit Drive, Dallas, TX 75251.

"It's impossible to feel grateful and negative at the same time." ~Drew Fooshee