Joseph F. Oster

Obituary of Joseph F. Oster

In lieu of flowers, the Oster Family invites those who wish to honor Joe, to consider a donation to: Camp Vega Foundationhttps:// www.campvegafoundation.org/ or Pastured Place https://pasturedplace.org/

Joseph F. Oster, 73, of Cochranville, PA, passed away suddenly, yet peacefully, on Thursday, January 8, 2026. Born in Darby, PA on June 22, 1952, he was the son of Lawrence Sr. and Eleanor (Hough) Oster. Joe had a happy childhood filled with many adventures with his siblings, cousins, and friends. He enjoyed being a Boy Scout, playing football in junior high, and helping his father build all sorts of projects over the years.

Joe was a 1971 graduate of Marple Newtown High School, where he was the President of the Distributive Education Club and was proudly voted class clown. Joe worked at the Esso gas station while in high school and was known as the "friendly Esso man" in his yearbook. After graduating, Joe went on to become a 'funny car' race car driver, starting out driving the "Frantic Ford" and the "Philadelphia Flyer" before traveling the country working for Jim Lieberman while driving the "Jungle Jim". Joe primarily lived in Huntington Beach, California and briefly in Detroit, Michigan and had the opportunity to visit every U.S. state except Alaska while traveling for races. After racing for over 15 years, Joe transitioned to working in commercial construction as Co-Owner of Woodside Associates, following in the steps of his father and later watched his son do the same. Leading the charge to build countless Starbucks, Enterprises, McDonalds, and more stretching along the East Coast, his work will be enjoyed by many for years to come.

Joe is survived by his wife, Amy of 30 years, his children Madison, Amanda, and Joseph, his sisters Susan Oster (Chris) and Eleanor Dale, his mother-in-law Ellen Grace, and numerous loving cousins, nieces, and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents, Lawrence Sr. and Eleanor, his brother, Lawrence Jr., and his nephew, Joseph Williams.

Joe and his wife Amy met as next-door neighbors and married in 1995. The two were excited to grow their family, working as a team to raise their three children and provide them a beautiful childhood filled with lifelong memories. Joe was a good provider for the family and a devoted husband for Amy while she went through cancer treatment and open heart surgery, ensuring that she made a full recovery. Joe enjoyed family activities and vacations to Maine, Warren, Pa, Avalon, NJ, and Assateague Island. When the kids grew up and Joe retired, he and Amy would spend a week in Maine together at Camp Vega on Echo Lake each summer, creating forever cherished memories. Joe also enjoyed his day-to-day time with Amy, including taking meals to the Octoraro Reservoir, watching sunsets in the treehouse, having coffee every morning in their backyard gazebo, and hanging out with the dogs, among many other small moments together.

Joe was heavily involved in the lives of his three children. He loved cheering for his daughter Madison at every level of her swimming career, from summer league meets to swimming for Division I James Madison University. Joe was in attendance for many of Madison's major swimming milestones, including her first individual PIAA District Title, CAA Conference Championship team victory, and even walking her down the deck in his "JMU chucks" at her senior meet. His proudest swimming moment was watching her from the stands as she climbed up on the podium to receive her bronze medal at conference championships. Joe also loved to tell the story of when he was able to make his way onto the JMU swim team's private team "party bus" as the team boarded up at the conclusion of Madison's final swim meet. Joe and Madison both carried on their love for JMU after Madison graduated, wearing purple and cheering on JMU football while enjoying their signature buffalo dip.

Joe passed on his love for horses to his daughter Amanda at an early age, putting her in the saddle before she could even walk. She became an avid horseback rider with him by her side, as Joe served as the District Commissioner for Amanda's team, Bohemia River Pony Club, and organized the week-long Pony Camp at Fair Hill every summer. Joe especially enjoyed bonding with Amanda by riding their retired racehorses together, going on trail rides at Fair Hill. Joe was known by the horse community as being extremely organized and invested in the world of horseback riding, color-coding everything and decking Amanda and her horse out in their signature black and yellow color scheme, mimicking his days as a race car driver where everything was organized by colors. Joe always had a solution for every situation that the horse world brought, not just for Amanda but for all riders that needed help. What began as the two watching races such as the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and more together on tv transitioned into them attending those races together, and later turned into a profession for Amanda as she works as an exercise rider in Lexington, Kentucky. Joe proudly loved watching Amanda's horses that she trained race on tv in the very competitions that they watched together all those years ago. Amanda's job has allowed her to travel the country just like Joe when he was younger.

Joe's bond with his son Joey started early, as the two first connected over their love for all things with wheels. Joe loved sitting Joey in his lap when riding on his John Deere mower and excitedly attended many farm shows together. One of his favorite early memories with Joey was winning Best in Show at Springton Manor Farm's 2004 Sheep & Wool Day for submitting his antique John Deere tractor alongside Joey's pedal replica tractor. As Joey grew, Joe remained involved in his life, investing in Joey's love for dirt bike riding and ECEA Hare Scramble motorcycle races. Joe loved taking his camper to Joey's races and cheering him on, so much so that the two would travel to races a couple days in advance to camp before the race began. Joe and Joey won the 100% Award multiple times at the end of each season for attending every scheduled race. Joe also looked forward to summers camping with Joey at Elk Neck State Park, where the two would enjoy fishing and sitting by the water, watching for eagles, cooking over the fire, and more. As Joey entered adulthood, he followed in the steps of his father, working at Woodside Associates with Joe and helping with various building projects around the house.

Joe was an animal lover throughout his entire life, from training his rooster Hector to ride on his bike handlebars as a child to caring for numerous Oster family farm animals throughout the years. He especially loved his retired racehorse, Outcome, and his German Shorthaired Pointer, Hunter. Joe also adored goats, raising several as a child and passing on the tradition with his daughter Madison when he bought her her first goats, Elmo and Cookie, in 1999. In more recent years, Joe and Madison proudly raised a herd of 10 goats (Vincent Van Goat, Racer, Lila, Fiona, Levi, Zippy, Stella, Lulu, Charlotte, and Norma Jeane), constantly adding new additions, fence lines, and toys to their pasture which affectionately became known as "Goat Disneyworld".

In addition to his role as a farmer, some of Joe's favorite activities included cheering for the Philadelphia Eagles, Phillies, JMU football, and horse races in his treehouse, hunting, cooking burgers and dogs in the Smokie Joe Cafe, breaking out his s'mores kit around the fire pit, hosting pool parties and hay rides, hanging out with his dog Hunter, watching the goat's antics, and most of all spending time with his family.

Joe was a member of the Church of the Advent in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania and looked forward to singing Silent Night by candlelight at Christmas Eve Mass every year.

Above all else, Joe was known for being extremely dependable and having a great sense of humor, ensuring everyone was safe and had fun in all that life brought.

Visitation: Monday, January 26th from 10:30-11:45AM at the Episcopal Church of the Advent, 401 N. Union Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348.

Funeral Service: Monday, January 26th at 12noon at the church.

Interment: Edgewood Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Joe to the Camp Vega Foundationhttps:// www.campvegafoundation.org/ or Pastured Place https://pasturedplace.org/