JOSIE BOLEWARE

Josie M. Faulkner was born in Laurel, Mississippi on December 18, 1943 to Delma and John Faulkner. With hopes of a making a better life for the family, her mother and father relocated to Jackson, MI leaving their only child in the care of her Aunt Ida Millsap. A few years later Josie fell sick and was diagnosed with Polio.  In the year 1950, after her diagnosis, her parents relocated Josie to Jackson, Michigan to be with them.

Josie was an avid servant/volunteer at church by day, and a medical assistant at Mercy Hospital at night. In 1966, at a church service, Josie was spotted by her husband Wilson and the rest was history. After starting their family, they decided that moving to the south had better opportunities. They relocated to Dallas, TX in 1981. One Sunday while visiting Greater Harvest COGIC, Elder Charles Beard recommended that they should visit Victory Temple COGIC, Elder Lafayette Whitley Pastor.

Taking his advice, they attended their first church service at Victory Temple in October of 1981. After visiting the church for a while the Bolewares decided that Victory Temple COGIC would be their permanent church home. In November of 1981, Josie started volunteering at the church daycare, Pee Wee Angels Learning Center.

It was then that she started fulfilling her calling. Josie’s love for children was undeniable. In her tenure as Director of Pee Wee Angels, Josie along with all of the staff, helped nurture and raise well over five hundred children while implementing the fundamentals of education, discipline, and teaching them to love others.  Josie would always say “I really wanted twelve kids but the good lord blessed me with hundreds.”

Josie is survived by her husband Wilson Boleware (Dallas, TX), Her children Diane Payne (Jackson, MI), Deborah Collins (Jackson, MI), Juliet Brooks ( Jackson, MI), Walter Flowers (Dallas, TX), Gwendolyn Boleware (Wichita Falls, TX), John and Vonda Boleware (Dallas, TX), Darrell and Kimberly Harrison (Dallas, TX) as well as a host of grandchildren and great grandchildren.