Paul J Foley Jr

January 23, 1943 - April 17, 2020

Paul J. Foley, Jr., age 77, died on Friday, April 17, in Chicago, IL, of COVID-19. Born in Chicago, IL to Paul J. Foley, Sr. and Christine MacIver Foley, Paul grew up in Westfield, NJ, where he graduated from Holy Trinity High School. He attended Niagara University, Niagara Falls, NY, and after college, served in Korea’s demilitarized zone as an intelligence officer for the US Army. He was a dedicated and loyal husband, father, and grandfather who devoted his life to his family. He greeted everyone with a smile, could talk to anyone, and loved to tease, always looking to kid around with you. He was a risk-taker, willing to ride the highest roller coaster or brave the wildest rapids, and recently he went skydiving at iFLY, something he always wanted to do. He loved to fish, grill, and find the latest and greatest craft beers. His favorite activities with the young “grands” were flying kites, building and tending to bird feeders, and getting ice cream (preferably a Choco Taco treat) with them while playing at the park. In the summertime, he would bike to the farmers market, wearing one of his favorite baseball hats from his prized collection. Paul was an avid sports fan, cheering for his favorite teams, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, and recently, the Pittsburgh Pirates after his grandson, Quinn, was drafted to the team in 2019. He loved to garden, earning him the title of “urban gardener” because even in the city he found a way to make things grow. And he could always be found with his favorite craft beer in hand. Paul worked for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company for nearly 35 years. After retirement, Paul served as the Executive Director of the Golf Course Builders Association (GCBAA) and its foundation in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was instrumental in reestablishing the Sticks for Kids program in the USA and worldwide. His love of golf fueled his work and he took great pride in his time with the GCBAA. Soon after leaving GCBAA, Paul and his wife, Judy, moved to Chicago to be near their two (2) eldest daughters and their grandchildren. Paul enjoyed staying busy in the community and served as a Board Member for the Edgewater Development Corporation. He was proud to perform his civic duty as a Judge of Election for the City of Chicago. And, when Chicago weather cooperated, he was the starter and ranger at the Sydney Marovitz Golf Course on the beautiful Chicago lakefront, often sending his family photos of the sunrise over the lake. He and Judy enjoyed visiting his son and grandchildren in the Philadelphia area and his youngest daughter and grandchildren in Los Angeles. He is survived by his loving wife Judy (Voigt) Foley of 50 years; his four children of whom he was so proud: Christine Priester of Cary, IL, Kerry Maman (Isaac) of Evanston, IL, Paul Foley, III (Dana and her daughter, Isabella) of Doylestown, PA, and Jill Alexander (Ryan) of Los Angeles, CA; nine “grands” who he never stopped talking about; Madison and Quinn Priester, Max, Owen, and Levi Maman, Olive and Jack Foley, and Sienna and Vera Mae Alexander; and two sisters Carole Foley of Denville, NJ, and Kathleen Cornwell of Pollocksville, NC. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Peter and Patrick. Christine will remember a dad who would always watch sports with her and a dad who never missed a game, cheering for her and her kids as they played their favorite sports. She will forever cherish the many photos of all the sporting events they attended as a return ticket to moments otherwise gone. He was the original #girldad. Kerry will remember a dad who was kind, genuine, and selfless, always reaching out to see how he could help while his children juggled work and young children. His advice was always “don’t sweat the small stuff.” He would dedicate his free time to attending countless school events and games for his children and grandchildren. He was a jokester, making his family laugh with his teasing and silly jokes. She will hold dear their shared love of scones, cashews, and apple crisp. Paul will remember a dad whose impact on his grandchildren was immeasurable. He never let an opportunity pass to fly a kite with them, teach them to fish, teach them sports, or just simply engage with them. Paul will also remember relaxing with his dad and drinking IPAs, essentially every time they were together. Jill will remember a dad who gave the best back scratches during Mass, the grandpa who always had a gentle, patient and comforting hand on the back or arm of his grandchildren, a husband who called his wife, Mom-o, and a kind person who would make small talk with any person he met. A celebration of Paul’s life will be held when the world reopens once again and family and friends can gather for a Memorial Mass at St. Gertrude Catholic Church in Chicago and raise their glasses, together. Instead of gifting flowers, the family asks that you consider donating to the COVID-19 Relief Fund at Northwestern University Medicine in memory of Paul J. Foley, Jr. www.foundation.nm.org