Funeral services and a Mass of Christian Burial for Dr. Robert Foley, Sr., 84, a resident of Davenport, will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 4097 18th St., Bettendorf.
Burial will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Davenport. Visitation will be Tuesday from 4-7 p.m. at the Halligan McCabe DeVries Funeral Home. The family invites you to join them in a prayer service at 4 p.m. to begin the visitation. Dr. Foley passed away Saturday, July 11, 2009 at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House, Bettendorf, following a brief illness surrounded by his loving family.
Dr. Robert James Foley was born on Oct. 17, 1924 to Walter Edward and Ina Gleason Foley in Davenport, Iowa. Dr. Foley attended St. Ambrose Academy and entered the University of Notre Dame in 1942. He was drafted into the United States Navy while attending Notre Dame. While serving in the Navy, Dr. Foley attended Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine. Upon his graduation from Medical School in 1948, Dr. Foley served his residency and internship at Milwaukee County Hospital.
He was united in marriage to Barbara Jean Gesme on Jan. 21, 1950 in Milwaukee.
During the Korean conflict, Dr. Foley served in the U.S. Air Force at Chanute Air Force Base, IL. He returned to Davenport in 1954 and practiced general surgery with his father Walter and his brother, W.E. “Ned” Foley, Jr.
Dr. Foley served on various boards including The Vera French Mental Health Center, The Scott County Blood Bank and Hospice. He was a charter member of the American Board of Medical Executives, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Diplomat of American Board of Surgery. He also belonged to the Scott County Medical Society, the American Medical Association, and the Iowa Academy of Surgery. He was a past president of the Notre Dame Club of the Tri-Cities.
Upon retiring from his medical practice in 1973, Dr. Foley became Director of Medical Affairs for Mercy and St. Luke’s Hospitals in Davenport. He assisted in the merger of both hospitals into the Genesis Health Systems. Dr. Foley retired in 1991.
Dr. Foley was a longtime member of the Rock Island Arsenal Golf Club and St. John Vianney Parish, Bettendorf.
Memorials may be made to Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House, Genesis Medical Center Health Foundation, or to St. John Vianney Catholic Church.
Dr. Foley is survived by his loving wife, Barbara; sons, Robert, Jr. (Rita) of Iowa City and Tim (Janice) of Bettendorf; daughters, Ann (John) Cross of Davenport, Beth (Dave) Crowl of Cincinnati, OH, and Meg (Tony) Colosimo of Lake Forest, IL; cousin Elaine Miller of Longmont, CO; and a sister-in-law, Virginia Allen of Bettendorf. Dr. Foley had the love of his eleven grandchildren: Michele (Mark) Reiland, Anna Foley, Michael Foley, John Cross, Jr., Tim (Steph) Cross, Peter Cross, Katie Crowl, Robert Foley Crowl, Tommy Crowl, Anthony Colosimo, and Peter Colosimo, as well as numerous nieces and nephews, and many special friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Ina, his brother Ned, and sister, Margaret Joyce. Online remembrances and condolences may be expressed by visiting Dr. Foley’s obituary at www.hmdfuneralhome.com.