Foley, Regis

Regis Foley, 91, of Waukon, died Friday, Oct. 2, 2009, at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, with Father Joseph Schneider officiating. Burial will be at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon, where there will be a 4 p.m. Scripture service.

Regis was born Joseph Regis Foley on Aug. 27, 1918, in Harpers Ferry, Iowa. His parents were James and Mary (Tracy) Foley. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Joseph's at Paint Rock Catholic Church. Regis attended rural school near Harpers Ferry, went to Immaculate Conception High School in Lansing for two years, and graduated from Harpers Ferry High School. On June 16, 1942, he married Frances Elizabeth McCabe at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon. Regis and Frances moved to a dairy farm near Harpers Ferry, where they worked together and raised their family. Regis loved the farm and took particularly good care of his land, equipment and livestock. He enjoyed the beauty of the country as well as the opportunity to raise his family in the farming environment. In 1974, they semiretired and moved to Waukon, where Regis worked for Waukon Equity Coop and Waukon Feed Ranch. He enjoyed the continuing camaraderie with his fellow farmers.

Regis was a devoted member of St. Patrick Catholic Church, attending services daily when he was able. He was also a member of St. Matthew's Council of Knights of Columbus. Along with the farm, his family and friends were very important to him. For many years he and Frances enjoyed loading up the motor home and spending several weeks in the south during the winter.

Survivors include six children, Mary (Frank) Byrnes, Kathy Clark and Joan (Tom) Fritz, all of Waukon, Jane (Norb) Hanzelka of Hiawatha, Rita (Steve Pesavento) Kearns of Golden Valley, Minn., and James Foley of Radnor, Pa.; 10 grandchildren, Mary (Stacy) Borchers, Brian (Cindi) Byrnes, Amy (Kevin) Stopko, Lori Sass, Tracey Hammell, Angie (Matt) Kenny, Kelli (Dan) Buchenau, Kristal (Travis) Donahue, Meghan (Chad) Kohlenberg and Melissa Fritz; six great-grandchildren; a brother, Leo Foley of Waukon; and two brothers-in-law, LeRoy (Marcella) McCabe and Leo McCabe, both of Waukon.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Frances, who died in 2000; and a sister, Mary Nagel.

Casket bearers are Frank Byrnes, Tom Fritz, Stacy Borchers, Brian Byrnes, Kevin Stopko, Matt Kenny, Dan Buchenau, Travis Donahue and Chad Kohlenberg.

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