John W. Folta

Reverend John Wesley Folta, Maryville, TN, missionary to Korea, by the merit of his Savior Jesus Christ went into the direct and unhindered presence of the Triune God at age 87 on Tuesday, December 20, 2016 in Maryville, TN. Born of Czech and Slovakian immigrant parents on March 4, 1929, John was raised in Pennsylvania and Ohio. He received a B.A. from the College of Wooster in 1951, an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1954, and earned a Masters in Christian Education from Columbia School of Christian Education. A year after marrying Ruth Humes, a nurse from Milford, Delaware, John and Ruth sailed with their 3 month-old baby to South Korea on a freighter, the Pacific Bear, in 1955. John was a Presbyterian missionary there for 40 years. In Korea, John served as an evangelist church planter in the mountainous areas of North Cholla Province and on Cheju Island. He also was a Bible teacher, and was involved with TV evangelism and deaf education. After retiring to the U.S., he journeyed and labored briefly in the Czech Republic, North Korea and Alaska. John loved the Korean people deeply, he enjoyed hunting, was passionate about singing and had a good sense of humor. He is survived by his wife Ruth, his sister Ruth, and six married children: Marty Stewart and husband Bill - Baku, Azerbaijan (4 children and 9 grandchildren); Paul and wife Eleanor - Loudon, TN (3 children); John and wife Marcy - Opelika, AL (3 children and 6 grandchildren); Dan and wife Meg - Kigali, Rwanda (3 children); Sam and wife Eun Soo - Yanji, China (4 children); Nancy Hannan and husband Paul - Homer, AK (5 children). A memorial service will be held at the Smoky Mountain Presbyterian Church, Maryville, TN on Thursday, December 29, at 11 am. The burial will be held at 3 pm at Grandview Cemetery, Maryville, TN. All are welcome to these events. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Christian Friends of Korea, PO Box 936, Black Mountain, NC 28711 www.cfk.org Smith Funeral & Cremation Service, Maryville, 865-983-1000, www.SmithFuneralandCremation.com. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of John W. Folta please visit our Sympathy Store.