Obituary of Fred R. Foy, Jr.

Fred Raymond Foy, Jr. (a/k/a Sonny) slipped peacefully into eternity on August 26, 2023. He was surrounded by so many of his children that they had to take turns sharing their comfort, love and prayers. He was born on January 4, 1931 to the late Fred Raymond Foy, Sr. (a/k/a Smokey) and Virgie Droneburg Foy. He is also predeceased by his brother, Edward M. Foy and sister, Carol A. Jeffries.

His life was turned upside down at the age of seventeen the day he first laid eyes on Eleanor Klos and immediately announced his plan to marry her to his best friend. Now he just had to convince her. And once he did, they were happily married on January 22, 1949. They filled their home with babies and love and even more babies. Eventually, they became the proud parents of 12 beautiful children and went on to enjoy 61 grandchildren, and 63 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

Sadly, Fred was recently preceded in death by Eleanor Foy, his adoring, hilarious and beautiful bride of 73 years. He was also preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Susan Winkler (husband Greg) and precious granddaughter, Emily C. Dillon. He is survived by their children, Fred R. Foy, III (a/k/a Skip) and wife Barbara, Patricia A. Foy, James K. Foy and wife Sherri, Diane M. Regester, Steven M. Foy and wife Julie, William P. Foy and wife MaryEllen, Mary L. Foy, Janet M. Dorzey and husband Richard, Daniel E. Foy and wife Betty, Lisa E. Foy and Laura J. Sites. Besides the tremendous number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, he is also survived by quite a number of wonderful nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Fred was a strong, quiet man who worked very hard to support his big family.  He, like his father before him, had a long career at Bethlehem Steel Sparrows Point all the while, working a second job and helping to raise the family.  After retirement, he continued to work many jobs including truck driving, and remodel contracting. And while he delighted in all the baby joys and noise, he also enjoyed the simple quiet spaces of reading and fishing. He loved the way nature healed his mind, and he steered his family toward wide open places. Life was his educator. Whenever there was a need, he would figure out the way to fix it, re-work it, or knock it down and re-build it.  There was an endless supply of accidently broken toys, flat tires on bikes, and in time, cars, and sometime hearts that needed his expertise.  He truly was a renaissance man.

Fred spent his last years enjoying the beauty and warmth of sunny Florida making new friends, doing lots of puzzles, watching sea turtles on the beach, rocket launches from the front yard, and nightly TV westerns with dessert, but most of all, being treated like the prince he was to all of us.

The family will receive visitors at Duda-Ruck Funeral Home of Dundalk, Inc., 7922 Wise Avenue on Wednesday, September 13, 2023 from 2-4 pm and from 6-8 pm. A funeral mass will take place at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in Edgemere at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 14, 2023. His final resting place will be Oaklawn Cemetery.

If you would like to send flowers, please send to Duda Ruck Funeral Home, or if you prefer to make a donation in Fred’s name, please send to Helping Seniors of Brevard, P.O. Box 372936, Satellite Beach, FL 32937.