HOUSTON 鈥 George Foreman was remembered Monday in a memorial service in his hometown of Houston for his legendary boxing career as well as for his love of God, family, horses and cheeseburgers and for his desire to help his fellow man.
鈥淗e preached love all the time. That鈥檚 what this life is all about. It鈥檚 all about love and George was pure because George lived and believed what he preached,鈥 said James Douglas, a longtime friend and former president of Texas Southern University in Houston.
During a nearly 1陆 hour memorial service, Foreman鈥檚 family and friends recalled anecdotes about a man who was a two-time boxing heavyweight champion but who was also a pastor who delivered life affirming sermons at his church in northeast Houston and a savvy businessman best known for the George Foreman Grill.
Foreman even addressed the crowd posthumously at the Wortham Theater Center, a performing arts center that hosted the memorial, with audio messages recorded previously.
People are also reading…
A photo of George Foreman sitting in the corner of a boxing ring is shown during a tribute video honoring the Olympic and world champion boxer during his memorial service on Monday at Wortham Theater Center in Houston.
鈥淲inning and losing can never assure a lasting smile. But saying to the face you see daily, 鈥業 did my best,鈥 can,鈥 Foreman said on the recording.
Many of the people who spoke at the memorial, including George Foreman IV, one of five sons of the boxing legend, highlighted the importance of faith in the elder Foreman鈥檚 life and how God guided his efforts to help others.
鈥溾橦ow well do I remember how Jesus brought me through? I prayed, I walked a night or two. I said, Lord, why don鈥檛 you take and use me? That鈥檚 all that I can do. I give my life to Jesus, what about you?鈥 That was a song my grandmother gave to my father. He was going through a hard time. So now I鈥檝e given it to you,鈥 George Foreman IV said as his four brothers stood behind him.
Foreman had 12 children, including five sons who are all famously named George Edward Foreman.
鈥淩est well, dad. We will carry your love with us always,鈥 said George Foreman IV, who is also a pastor.
Heavyweight champion George Foreman responds to cheers of crowd in stadium in Kinshasa, Zaire Saturday night, Oct. 26, 1974 during the weigh in for his title defense against Muhammad Ali.
Former boxer Michael Moorer, who Foreman defeated in 1994 to become the oldest man at age 45 to win the heavyweight championship, told the crowd that the two went from being competitors to having a relationship 鈥渂uilt on respect for over 30 years.鈥
鈥淕eorge was a champion in life. His faith transformed the shy country boy from Texas to a successful businessman and a voice for the less fortunate,鈥 Moorer said.
Dr. Adan Rios, a longtime friend of the boxing great, recalled how Foreman bought land to create a food bank for AIDS patients and donated $1.7 million to help treat adolescent patients with cancer.
Foreman died on March 21 at age 76. Foreman鈥檚 family has not disclosed his cause of death, only saying on social media that he 鈥減eacefully departed 鈥 surrounded by loved ones.鈥
Born in Marshall, Texas, Foreman was raised in Houston鈥檚 Fifth Ward, one of the city鈥檚 historically Black neighborhoods.
He began his boxing career as an Olympic gold medalist in 1968, turning pro the next year.
George Foreman, center, lands a body punch to Muhammad Ali during fight action in Zaire, Africa, Oct. 30, 1974. Referee Zack Clayton is at right.
Foreman became the heavyweight champion of the world when he beat Joe Frazier in 1973. But he lost the title the following year when Muhammad Ali beat Foreman in the famous 鈥淩umble in the Jungle鈥 fight in Zaire.
Foreman then gave up boxing and after a religious awakening, became an ordained minister in 1978. He began preaching in Houston, later founding The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in 1980.
The middle-aged fighter returned to the ring after a 10-year absence and in 1994 pulled off one of the most spectacular knockouts in boxing history, flooring Moorer 鈥 19 years his junior 鈥 with a surgical right hand to claim Moorer鈥檚 two heavyweight belts.
Foreman retired in 1997 with a 76-5 career record.
He then moved on to the next chapter in his life as a businessman, pitchman and occasional actor.
He became known to a new generation as the face of the George Foreman Grill. The simple cooking machine sold more than 100 million units and brought him more wealth than boxing. A biographical movie based on his life was released in 2023.
鈥淥f all the traits that I could mention, his faith, his family, his boxing career, his business career, the one that stands out to me as a friend of George Foreman, he never forgot where he came from,鈥 said Houston Mayor John Whitmire.
___
Photos: Notable deaths in 2025
Peter Yarrow
Peter Yarrow, the singer-songwriter best known as one-third of Peter, Paul and Mary, the folk-music trio whose impassioned harmonies transfixed millions as they lifted their voices in favor of civil rights and against war, died Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. He was 86.
Sam Moore
Sam Moore, the surviving half and higher voice of the 1960s duo Sam & Dave that was known for such definitive hits of the era as 鈥淪oul Man鈥 and 鈥淗old On, I'm Comin,鈥欌 died Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. He was 89.
David Lynch
David Lynch, the filmmaker celebrated for his uniquely dark vision in such movies as 鈥淏lue Velvet鈥 and 鈥淢ulholland Drive鈥 and the TV series 鈥淭win Peaks,鈥 died just days before his 79th birthday.
Bob Uecker
Bob Uecker, the voice of his hometown Milwaukee Brewers who after a short playing career earned the moniker "Mr. Baseball" and honors from the Hall of Fame, died Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. He was 90.
Joan Plowright
Award-winning British actor Joan Plowright, who with her late husband Laurence Olivier did much to revitalize the U.K.'s theatrical scene in the decades after World War II, died Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. She was 95.
Cecile Richards
Cecile Richards, a national leader for women鈥檚 rights who led Planned Parenthood for 12 tumultuous years, died Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. She was 67.聽
Garth Hudson
Garth Hudson, the Band's virtuoso keyboardist and all-around musician who drew from a unique palette of sounds and styles to add a conversational touch to such rock standards as "Up on Cripple Creek," 鈥淭he Weight鈥 and "Rag Mama Rag," died Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025 at age 87.
Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Faithfull, the British pop star, muse, libertine and old soul who inspired and helped write some of the Rolling Stones' greatest songs and endured as a torch singer and survivor of the lifestyle she once embodied, died Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. She was 78.
Dick Button
Figure skating great and authoritative commentator Dick Button,聽who was the winner of two Olympic gold medals and five consecutive world championships, died Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. He was 95.聽
Barbie Hsu
Barbie Hsu, a Taiwanese actress who starred in the popular TV drama 鈥淢eteor Garden鈥 that once swept Asia, died Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, after contracting pneumonia triggered by the flu. She was 48.
Irv Gotti
Irv Gotti, the boisterous, smiley music mogul who founded Murder Inc. Records and was behind major hip-hop and R&B artists, died Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. He was 54.聽
Tony Roberts
Tony Roberts, a versatile, Tony Award-nominated theater performer at home in both plays and musicals and who appeared in several Woody Allen movies 鈥 often as Allen's best friend 鈥 died Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. He was 85.
Paquita la del Barrio
Mexican musical legend Paquita la del Barrio, known for her powerful voice and fierce defense of women, died at her home in Veracruz early Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. She was 77.
Jerry Butler
Jerry Butler, a premier soul singer of the 1960s and after whose rich, intimate baritone graced such hits as "For Your Precious Love," "Only the Strong Survive" and "Make It Easy On Yourself," died Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. He was 85.
Voletta Wallace
Voletta Wallace, the dedicated mother of the late great rapper The Notorious B.I.G. and protector of his legacy, died Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. She was 78.
Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack, the Grammy-winning singer and pianist whose intimate vocal and musical style made her one of the top recordings artists of the 1970s and an influential performer long after, died Monday, Fe. 24, 2025. She was 88.
Michelle Trachtenberg
Michelle Trachtenberg, a former child star who appeared in the 1996 鈥淗arriet the Spy鈥 hit movie and went on to co-star in two buzzy millennial-era TV shows 鈥 鈥淏uffy the Vampire Slayer鈥 and 鈥淕ossip Girl鈥 鈥 died Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. She was 39.聽
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa
Gene Hackman, the prolific Oscar-winning actor whose studied portraits ranged from reluctant heroes to conniving villains and made him one of the industry鈥檚 most respected and honored performers, has been found dead along with his wife, 65-year-old concert pianist Betsy Arakawa,聽at their home in February. He was 95.
David Johansen
David Johansen, the wiry, gravelly-voiced singer and last surviving member of the glam and protopunk band the New York Dolls who later performed as his campy, pompadoured alter ego, Buster Poindexter, died Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. He was 75.
Roy Ayers
Roy Ayers, a legendary jazz vibraphonist, keyboardist, composer and vocalist known for his spacy, funky 1976 hit 鈥淓verybody Loves the Sunshine鈥 that has been sampled by such R&B and rap heavyweights as Mary J. Blige, N.W.A., Dr. Dre, 2Pac, Mos Def and Ice Cube, died Tuesday, March 4. He was 84.
Pamela Bach
Pamela Bach, an actor and the ex-wife of 鈥淏aywatch鈥 star David Hasselhoff, died聽 Wednesday, March 5. She was 62.
John Feinstein
John Feinstein, one of the country's foremost sports writers and the author of numerous bestselling books, including the groundbreaking 鈥淎 Season on the Brink鈥 about college basketball coach Bob Knight, died unexpectedly Thursday, March 13. He was 69.
脡milie Dequenne
脡milie Dequenne, the Belgian actor who won a top Cannes Film Festival prize for her breakout role in 鈥淩osetta,鈥 died聽Sunday, March 16, of a rare cancer in a hospital outside of Paris.聽She was 43.
Kitty Dukakis
Kitty Dukakis, the wife of former Massachusetts governor and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis, who spoke openly about her struggles with depression and addiction, died Friday, March 21. She was 88.
Mia Love
Former U.S. Rep. Mia Love of Utah, a daughter of Haitian immigrants who became the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress, died Sunday, March 23. She was 49.
Denis Arndt
Denis Arndt, a character actor and favorite of TV writer and producer David E. Kelley, getting cast in 鈥淟.A. Law,鈥 鈥淧icket Fences鈥 and 鈥淐hicago Hope,鈥 and later earning a Tony nomination for his Broadway debut at age 77 in a play about mismatched lovers, died March 25. He was 86.
Richard Chamberlain
Richard Chamberlain, the handsome hero of the 1960s television series "Dr. Kildare" who found a second career as an award-winning "king of the miniseries," died Saturday, March 29. He was 90.
Val Kilmer
Val Kilmer, the brooding, versatile actor who played fan favorite Iceman in 鈥淭op Gun,鈥 donned a voluminous cape as Batman in 鈥淏atman Forever鈥 and portrayed Jim Morrison in 鈥淭he Doors,鈥 died April 1. He was 65.
Wink Martindale
Wink Martindale, the genial host of such hit game shows as 鈥淕ambit鈥 and 鈥淭ic-Tac-Dough鈥 who also did one of the first recorded television interviews with a young Elvis Presley, died April 15. He was 91.
Pope Francis
Pope Francis, history鈥檚 first Latin American pontiff who charmed the world with his humility and concern for the poor but alienated conservatives over climate change and critiques of capitalism, died April 21. He was 88.
Steve McMichael
Steve McMichael, a star defensive tackle on the Chicago Bears鈥 famed 1985 Super Bowl championship team, died April 23 following a battle with ALS. He was 67.
Jim Dent
Jim Dent, who聽grew up in the caddie yards of Augusta, Georgia, and went on to become one of the PGA Tour's longest hitters and one of the top Black golfers of his generation, died May 2. He was 85.
James Foley
James Foley, a journeyman director best known for 鈥淕lengarry Glen Ross,鈥 died May 6. He was 71.聽
David H. Souter
Retired Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter, the ascetic bachelor and New Hampshire Republican who became a favorite of liberals during his nearly 20 years on the bench, died May 8. He was 85.
Johnny Rodriguez
Country music star Johnny Rodriguez, a popular Mexican American singer best known for chart-topping hits in the 1970s such as 鈥淚 Just Can鈥檛 Get Her Out of My Mind,鈥 鈥淩idin鈥 My Thumb to Mexico鈥 and 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the Way Love Goes,鈥 died May 9. He was 73.
Robert Benton
Robert Benton, the Oscar-winning filmmaker who helped reset the rules in Hollywood as the co-creator of "Bonnie and Clyde," and later received mainstream validation as the writer-director of "Kramer vs. Kramer" and "Places in the Heart," died May 11. He was 92.
Charles Strouse
Three-time Tony Award-winner Charles Strouse, Broadway's industrious, master melody-maker who composed the music for such classic musical theater hits as "Annie," "Bye Bye Birdie" and "Applause," died May 14. He was 96.
George Wendt
George Wendt, an actor with an Everyman charm who played the affable, beer-loving barfly Norm on the hit 1980s TV comedy 鈥淐heers鈥 and later crafted a stage career that took him to Broadway in 鈥淎rt,鈥 鈥淗airspray鈥 and 鈥淓lf,鈥 died May 20. He was 76.
Jim Irsay
Jim Irsay, the Indianapolis Colts鈥 owner who leveraged the popularity of Peyton Manning into a new stadium and a Super Bowl title, died May 21 at age 65.聽
Dave Shapiro
Dave Shapiro, a groundbreaking music executive in the heavy metal and hard rock scene, died May 22 in a San Diego plane crash. He was 42.
Marcel Ophuls
Marcel Ophuls, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker whose landmark 1969 documentary 鈥淭he Sorrow and the Pity鈥 shattered the comforting myth that most of France had resisted the Nazis during World War II, died May 24. He was 97.
Phil Robertson
Phil Robertson, who turned his small duck calling interest in the sportsman's paradise of northern Louisiana into a big business and conservative cultural phenomenon, died May 25, according to his family. He was 79.
Ruth Buzzi
Ruth Buzzi, who rose to fame as the frumpy and bitter Gladys Ormphby on the groundbreaking sketch comedy series 鈥淩owan & Martin鈥檚 Laugh-In鈥 and made over 200 television appearances during a 45-year career, died May 1. She was 88.
Obit-Loretta Swit
Loretta Swit, who won two Emmy Awards playing Maj. Margaret Houlihan, the demanding head nurse of a behind-the-lines surgical unit during the Korean War on the pioneering hit TV series 鈥淢.A.S.H.,鈥 died Friday, May 30, at her New York City home, likely from natural causes, publicist Harlan Boll said. She was 87.
Jonathan Joss Shooting What to Know
Jonathan Joss, a Native American actor best known for his voice work on the animated television series 鈥淜ing of the Hill,鈥 talks to reporters聽Jan. 23 after a fire at his San Antonio, Texas. He was shot and killed at the age of 59 in front of his home on June 2. Joss' husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, confirmed the actor's death; the two were married this year on Valentine鈥檚 Day. Authorities arrested neighbor Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, 56, and charged him with murder in Joss鈥 death.
