David Baron Foltz Jr.

DAVID BARON FOLTZ, JR., 49, of Houston, passed away on Wednesday morning, July 17, 2002, in Houston after a long and valiant battle with cancer. Mr. Foltz was born on March 27, 1953, in Lincoln, NE, the third child and first son of Dr. David B. Foltz, Sr. and Claudean Beacham Foltz. He was preceded in death by his father in 1992, his mother in April 2002, his beloved aunt, Thetis Foltz, in 1999, and his close friend and father-in-law, Ira Lafayette Monroe, in 1989, all of Hattiesburg, MS. His father's career as a distinguished music professor and choral conductor took his family from Lincoln to the University of Wichita in Wichita, KS, and then to the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS, where Dr. Foltz retired as Dean Emeritus of the College of Fine Arts in 1977. Mr. Foltz was graduated from Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, MA, in 1971 with honors, and thereafter attended Yale University, where he received his B.A. degree in philosophy in 1975. In 1978, he received his J.D. degree from Tulane University and moved to Houston where he practiced law for the next 25 years as a nationally-recognized bankruptcy and creditor's rights attorney and teacher. In 1984 he became a partner in the law firm of Sheinfield, Maley & Kay. In 1990, he and his mentor, the late Honorable Arthur L. Moller, Jr., formed David B. Foltz, Jr. and Associates, where, after Judge Moller's death in 1993, he continued this practice until 1998. For a brief period, he joined the law firm of Kirkendall, Isgur and Foltz; and, thereafter, he returned to David B. Foltz, Jr. & Associates where he continued his practice until 2001. Throughout his career, Mr. Foltz pursued his hereditary love and talent for teaching and writing. He authored numerous articles on bankruptcy in addition to teaching at the Paralegal Institute of Houston and later as Adjunct Professor of Bankruptcy at the University of Texas Law School in Austin. He was a member of the faculty and planning committee of the Annual UT Bankruptcy Conference in Austin. In 2000, he was to teach bankruptcy law as Adjunct Professor at South Texas College of Law in Houston when he became ill. He closed his practice in 2001 and focused his considerable talents on his beloved family, his faith, and volunteer work at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. In the fall of 1993, he co-chaired the efforts to establish the Arthur L. Moller Chair of Bankruptcy Law and Practice at the University of Texas Law School. Of all Mr. Foltz's significant and noteworthy professional accomplishments, it was this of which he was most proud. In 1964, he met the love of his life, Beth Monroe, at W. I. Thames Elementary School in Hattiesburg, MS. They celebrated their Silver Wedding Anniversary on July 24, 2001. To this union were born two daughters, the lights of his life, Sarah Elizabeth Foltz, 17, and Katherine Alexina Monroe Foltz, 11, both of Houston. At M.D. Anderson, both David and his wife, Beth, were privileged to serve as volunteers and touch, and have their lives touched by, dozens of new friends, including patients, staff, volunteers, doctors (Diaz, Sellin, Gardner, Burgess, Valentine, Lewis, Foreman, and Fisch), and special friend Christine Muraski, the "Angel" of Patient Affairs. In addition to his beloved wife and daughters, he is survived by two sisters, Claudean Elizabeth (Betsy) Foltz, and Jan Foltz Cowen and husband Dr. George D. Cowen of Danville, CA; mother-in-law Patsy B. Monroe of Hattiesburg, MS; sister-in-law Beckie M. Johnson and husband Stuart K. Johnson of Murfreesboro, TN; nephew David Baron Cowen of Danville, CA; four nieces: Dr. Susan Cowen Bell and husband Todd of Danville, CA; Elizabeth Bryce Cowen of New Orleans, LA; Kendall Rebecca Johnson, and Kirby Stuart Johnson of Murfreesboro, TN; two first cousins, James M. Foltz and wife Jean of Centralia, IL and Thetis Foltz Munzert and husband Chuck of Glen Carbon, IL and a host of loving and devoted neighbors, colleagues, friends, and loved ones too numerous to list. Special survivors include Rascal, Myrtle and Goliath. Visitation will be at George H. Lewis & Sons, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday evening, July 19. Funeral services will be held at 11 am on Saturday, July 20 at Chaplewood United Methodist Church, 11140 Greenbay, Houston with the Rev. Dr. Carey B. Sayers officiating. Graveside Services and Interment will be at 4 pm at Evergreen Memorial Park in Crockett, TX with the Rev. Dr. Jerry F. House officiating.