William J. Foley

William J. Foley, 90, of 1518 E. Knox, Galesburg, died at 12:15 a.m. on December 4, 2006 at OSF St. Mary Medical Center, Galesburg.   Bill was born on March 7, 1916 in Galesburg, the son of J.P. and Phoebe Freeman Foley.  He married Muriel “Sue” Robertson on August 28, 1944 in Fort Worth, Texas.  She preceded him in death on January 6, 1985.  Surviving are 3 sons, Tom (Carla) and Dan (Margie) of Galesburg, and Jim of Peoria; 5 daughters, Susan Foley of Rockford, Kathleen (Bill) Barancik of Marina del Ray, CA, Trish (Richard) Thomsen of Colorado Springs, CO, Janet (Dennis) Slaghter, Fairfax, VA, Ginny (Steve) Klopfer of Ballwin, MO.  He was preceded in death by 1 brother and 4 sisters.   He graduated from Corpus Christi High School in 1934, Knox College in 1938, and Cincinnati Mortuary College.  He was a Major in the US Army in WWII.  He owned and operated Midwest Photo, retiring in 1985.  He was also a licensed Funeral Director at Foley Mortuary in Galesburg, and was involved in several business ventures including oil drilling, real estate, invention marketing and computer sales.   Bill was a member of Corpus Christi Catholic Church and a fourth degree member of the Father J.O. Hunt Knights of Columbus council 556.  He was a member of Rotary, YMCA, and the United Way.  Bill served on the Galesburg Public Library Board, St. Mary Medical Center Foundation Board, Home Saving and Loan Board, and a founding member of Community Bank of Galesburg.  He also had been a boy scoutmaster, and was involved in the development of Oak Run.  Mass of Christian Burial will be at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday December 9, 2006 at Corpus Christi Church.  Visitation will be from 4 – 7:30 p.m. on Friday December 8, 2006 at Watson Funeral Home, with a wake service at 7:30 p.m.  Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Cemetery.  Memorials may be made to the Galesburg Public Library of the Boy Scouts of America.