OBIT: Edward P. FOLEY, 1945, Meyersdale, Somerset County, PA

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Meyersdale Library.
Transcribed and proofread by: Richard Boyer.

Copyright 2007.  All rights reserved.
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EDWARD P. FOLEY

Untimely Death of Edward P. Foley Deeply Lamented

  It is a long while since the death of a citizen of Meyersdale has been more 
sincerely mourned by local railroadmen and by many other people in all walks of 
life as well, as that of Edward P. Foley, which occurred at 4 a.m., at his home, 
109 Chestnut Street, on Friday, August 3rd.
  Mr. Foley was a railroadman to the manner born.  He was the eldest son of the 
late Michael and Mary Shannon Foley, born in Meyersdale, May 27, 1895, and was 
aged 50 years, 2 months and 6 days when he passed away.  More than 30 years of 
his half century life was devoted to the service of the Baltimore & Ohio 
Railroad Company in a very responsible capacity, in which he never failed to 
live up to the highest expectations of his superiors.
  In that respect he was following in the footsteps of his father and maternal 
grandfather, Michael Shannon, who also had devoted the best years of their lives 
to the service of the maintenance of way department of the Baltimore and Ohio 
railroad.  Michael Shannon served the B & O at Sand Patch and Meyersdale since 
before the completion of the first Sand Patch tunnel in 1871, until he retired 
at a ripe old age.
  When Grandfather Shannon retired, his grandson, Edward P. Foley, then not yet 
quite out of his teens, stepped into his place as foreman of the work train on 
the Meyersdale sector. He was able to do this because of the training he had 
received from his father, Michael Foley, who was supervisor of maintenance of 
way of the B & O between Rockwood and Cumberland, and also of the Somerset & 
Cambria between Rockwood and Johnstown, for many years, and had no superior in 
that line of work.
  Edward Foley began working for the B & O as a water boy at the age of 11.  
Later in his teens he attended LaSalle Institute in Cumberland for two years and 
St. Charles College, Baltimore, for two years more.  Serious illness of blood 
poisoning due to injury in a football game put an end to his college career.  
Doctors had pronounced his recovery hopeless, but his fighting spirit and 
prayers of loved ones and faith in his Heavenly Father pulled him through.
  During his school vacations he worked in various capacities for the B & O 
under the tutelage of his father, and after he recovered from his serious 
illness, and outdoor life appeared better for him than the cloistered life of a 
college student, he went to work on the railroad again and continued in the 
employ of the B & O the remainder of his life.  He was always very large and 
robust for a boy of his age during his youth, and grew into a fine figure of a 
man before he reached the age of 21.
  When he succeeded his grandfather Shannon as foreman of the local work train, 
he was quite able for the job, and was the youngest foreman on the entire B & O 
system.  He had the gift to command the confidence and respect of the men 
working under him, whom he always treated as his equal and for whom he had 
genuine affection as they had for him.
  For many years wherever there was a bad wreck on the Connellsville division, 
Foley and his crew would be sent for to help clear the tracks and restore 
traffic in the shortest time possible.  As a director of a job of clearing up a 
wreck, Mr. Foley was considered as an expert.  His excellence as a maintenance 
of way section foreman was recognized by all the B & O higher-ups from 
Pittsburgh to Baltimore.
  During the man shortage and the heavy traffic of the B & O the last few years, 
Mr. Foley worked harder than ever at any time of his life.  He was on the job 
for long hours in all kinds of weather, and never spared himself to keep the 
tracks under his care in first class condition.  During the last year he 
developed a bad heart condition, and was repeatedly warned and advised by his 
doctor to take a long rest, but he continued to work until he suffered a 
complete breakdown several months ago.  Rest and medical care seemed to be 
restoring him to health, and he apparently was on the road to recovery until 
recently, when his condition took a turn for the worse and he gradually declined 
until the end came.
  Mr. Foley was very happily married to Mrs. Elizabeth (Meryine) Lynch, widow of 
Richard Lynch, who was accidently killed about 20 years ago.  He is survived by 
his wife, one son, James E. Foley, aged 15; a step-son, Michael Lynch, an honor 
student at State College; a step-daughter, Miss Mary E. Lynch, a trained nurse, 
Geneva, N.Y.; his mother, Mrs. Mary Foley; two sisters, Mrs. Mary Hillegas, 
Norfolk, Va., and Miss Margaret Foley, Meyersdale, two brothers, Joseph and 
Francis Foley, both of Baltimore, and a number of nephews and nieces, to all of 
whom Mr. Foley was greatly devoted and loved by them.
  Undertaker Joe F. Reich and wife, old friends of the Foley family, were 
touring in New York State when they received word of the death of Mr. Foley.  
Mr. Reich, having been asked by telegram to take charge of the funeral 
arrangements hastened back home.  W. C. Price & Son took care of the body until 
Mr. Reich returned.  He then took charge and made all the arrangements for the 
obsequies.
  During several days that the body lay in state at the home of the deceased, 
hundreds of friends, including many of his fellow B & O railroad employees, 
called to express their sympathy and pay their respect.  Seldom are so many 
floral tributes offered to adorn the bier of a friend - many sent by railroad 
crews and organizations and individuals.  One of the very finest came from 
Supervisor Clark of the Rockwood-Cumberland maintenance of way sector, with 
headquarters at Hyndman.  Mr. Clark also paid warm verbal tribute to Mr. Foley 
as one of the best railroadmen he ever knew.
  Mr. Foley was a lifelong member of SS. Philip and James Roman Catholic Church.  
The Rosary service was held at the home of the deceased on Tuesday evening, 
conducted by his pastor, Rev. Father T. R. Houghton.
  High requiem mass was sung in the church at 9:30 Wednesday morning by Father 
Houghton, assisted by Father Harold Cap, and Father A. W. Gartland, and the 
church choir.  This service was largely attended.
  Interment was in SS. Philip and James cemetery.  Pallbearers were: H. Fidler, 
E. G. Fidler, Harry Walter, J. R. Werner, J. F. Sweeney and R. F. Brown.
  Among the relatives from a distance who attended the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. 
Reon Hillegas and their youngest daughter, of Norfolk, Va., and their son Joseph 
Hillegas, of Washington, D.C.; Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Foley and Mr. and Mrs. 
Francis Foley, Baltimore, and Mrs. Jeremiah L. Foley and brother, William 
Kenney, and a nephew of Tunnelton, W.Va.

Meyersdale Republican, August 9, 1945