Richard Leonard Foley

He is survived by Jean, his loving and remarkably patient wife of 65 years. They were married in Brockton, MA on August 27, 1949. He is also survived by sisters Velma, of Falls Church, VA, Julia Guilimette, of Ponape, Kolonia (Marianas Islands), Shelley Kane, of Brockton, MA, and a brother, Raymond, of Killington, VT. He was predeceased by a sister, Marie Frances, of Denver CO., and brothers Kenneth, of Brockton, MA, and John, of Hadley MA.

Dick is also remembered with great love and affection by his children, Michael, of Cumming, GA, James, of Bradford, VT, Timothy, of Burlington VT, Richard, of Brookfield, VT, and Jennifer, of Derby, NY, 15 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren.

Dick was born in Brockton, MA in 1926. Despite some remarkable hijinks as a youngster, he successfully graduated from Brockton High School in 1944. He subsequently enlisted in the United States Navy, serving in one of the original SeaBee Battalions in the Pacific Theater (Philippines and China) until the end of WWII in 1945. He went on to work at Cross Baking Company in St. Johnsbury, and in keeping with his image of the knight in shining armor, rescued Jean and her mother from the icy grip of a snowbank in the middle of a cold and blustery winter night. The rest, as we say, is history. Following his stint with the bakery, he worked for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in Bradford, VT and Portland ME, Bradford National Bank in Bradford and Fairlee, VT, and then a move to the Bellows Falls Trust Co., which precipitated his and Jean’s move to Londonderry. He also worked for Kittredge Mortgage Associates in Manchester, VT and Brown Equipment in Londonderry.

Dick maintained a very active life and enjoyed and was active in various barbershop quartets, he earned a Private Pilot’s license, teaching the children all about motion sickness. He learned to ski at age 50, much to the delight of the aforementioned children, who greatly admired his high speed, power steering turns. He also loved to play golf, as evidenced by the number of times he hit the ball. He took up the organ in his forties, and continued to play until well in his eighties, playing faithfully first for the parishioners of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Bradford, and later for St. Joseph’s Chapel in Londonderry. He was an active member of the Rotary Club, serving as club President on 3 different occasions; he also served as Commander of the Robert T. Shepardson American Legion Post 82, and was a Fourth Degree Knight in Knights of Columbus.

The visitation will be held at Adams Funeral Home in Chester, VT on 5-7 PM Sunday, April 26. The mass of Christian burial will be held at the St. Joseph’s Chapel in Londonderry on Monday, April 27th, at 11 AM. Internment will be in the Riverside Cemetery in Londonderry at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Wantastiquet Rotary Club, c/o Scholarship Fund, PO Box 309, Londonderry, VT 05148. Condolences for the family may be offered online at http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Richard-Foley&lc=6712&pid=174704536&mid=6415204.