Emory M. Folmar

Survivors include wife, Anita Pierce Folmar, his sisters, Miriam Pearson Folmar and Anne Folmar Montmeat, his children, Wilson Bibb Folmar III (Deborah O’Connell Folmar) and Margaret Folmar Dauber (Mark Allan Dauber), and grandchildren, Emily Dauber Flowers (William Flowers III), Collins Glasgow Dauber, and Sean Austin Folmar. He is preceded in death by his son, David Pearson Folmar, his brothers, James Murphree Folmar, Oliver Wiley Folmar, and Wilson Bibb Folmar II, and his parents, Marshall Bibb Folmar and Miriam Woods Pearson Folmar.

Folmar was born June 3rd, 1930, in Troy, AL , where he lived until his family moved to Montgomery when he was fourteen. After graduating Sidney Lanier High School in 1948, he attended The University of Alabama, where he received his BS in Business in three years, was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and served as cadet colonel of the Army ROTC. Through the ROTC, he received a Regular Army commission and went to Ft. Benning, GA for parachute training and instructors’ schools where he was assigned to the 11th Airborne Division attached to the 2nd Infantry Division. He married Anita Pierce in February 1952 and was deployed to Korea that summer. Wounded in action, he received the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. At the rank of lieutenant, he received the French Croix de Guerre as a result of his actions with the 23rd Regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division and French troops.

After Korea, he was assigned to Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, as an Airborne Jump Master until 1954. He then moved to Montgomery to join his brother James Folmar and Henry Flynn in construction and sales of government-issue loan funded housing in the Montgomery neighborhood Cloverland. The Folmar brothers’ business grew to include large commercial shopping center construction throughout the Southeast.

He entered politics at the urging of his son David, running for city council District 8 in 1975. He was elected President of the City Council and then became Mayor of Montgomery from 1977 till 1999. He ran for governor in 1982; served as campaign chairman for Ronald Reagan’s finance committee in 1980; state chairman for Reagan in 1984; and chairman for Bush-Quayle in 1988 and 1992. After retiring from politics, he worked as a business consultant and was appointed Commissioner to the Alabama Beverage Control Board by Governor Bob Riley in 2003.

After a private graveside service, a memorial service will be held at Trinity Presbyterian Church on Monday, November 14th at 3:30 o’clock with Rev. Claude McRoberts officiating.

Graveside pallbearers include Greg Shaner, Darick Wilson, Tracy von Hollen, Steve Thompson, Celia and Randy Dixon, Jim Buckelew, Judge Reese McKinney, and Mike Hunter. Rev. Claude McRoberts and Bill Reagan will speak graveside. Honorary Pallbearers include his Trinity Presbyterian Sunday School class, past kings of the Krewe of the Phantom Host, Will Hill Tankersley, and Bobby Armstrong. Gov. Robert Riley will speak at the memorial service. The elders of Trinity Presbyterian Church will serve as ushers.

The family wishes to thank his caregivers: Bernice Smith, ChooChoo Barker, Meme Barker, Gail Chappell, Nail Fort, Rent Jenkins, Kawanda McDade, Vanessa Anderson, Lisa Barker, Amelia Walker, Lulu Speer, and Carolyn Carter.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Cancer Wellness Foundation at 4145 Carmichael Road, 36106.