Ed Foley dead at age 85

The father of former Congressman Mark Foley passed away yesterday.

Ed Foley, a former teacher, high school principal and father of former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, died Tuesday.

Mr. Foley had been ill from cancer since 2003. His daughter, Donna Foley Winterson, notified The Palm Beach Post of her father?s death.

Mr. Foley was 85.

He was a former teacher who became principal of Lake Shore Middle School and later South Area High School. He also was a former commissioner for the South Lake Worth Inlet District. He was a former president of the Greater Lake Worth Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Foley, a native of Massachusetts, moved to Florida in the 1950s after living briefly in Arizona. He came to Florida with his wife, Frances, a girl he met in Catholic school. They had been married more than 60 years.

Well-known in the Lake Worth area, Mr. Foley was active in his church, community and politics.

Until his health failed him, Mr. Foley frequently campaigned for his son, Mark, in races including Lake Worth City Commission, the state legislature and U.S. House of Representatives.

His son abandoned a bid for the U.S. Senate in 2003 saying the family needed to rally around his father who been diagnosed with cancer. Mark Foley resigned from Congress in September.

Mr. Foley is survived by his wife, Frances, their five children, Donna, Mark, Cathleen, Eddie and Elizabeth.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

If the funeral is held locally, it is possible dear wife and I may attend.(We don't have any details and haven't discussed plans with Leonita yet) For now I want to express our condolences to all of Ed Foley's family. May they find solace in the love of God at this time.

Ed Foley 1921-2006. RIP.

Disclosure- My wife and I attend the same parish the Ed Foley and his wife used to attend. Through her work at the church, dear wife got to meet the Foleys but not the former congressman.

Linked to- Basil's Blog, Bright & Early, Right Wing Nation,