Rosalind "Ro" Foley

1931 - 2016

Rosalind "Ro" Foley

SCOTT - Rosalind Cook Foley died peacefully at home on October 18, 2016. The wake will be Thursday, October 20, 2016 at Martin & Castille Funeral Home in Scott, LA from 5:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M., with a Rosary at 7:00 P.M. Visitation will continue on Friday from 8:00 AM until time of services. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church in Lafayette, LA on Friday, October 21 at 10:00 A.M. Reverend Gary Schexnayder, Pastor of St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, will be the Celebrant of the Funeral Mass. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery.

She was born on Dec. 29, 1931 in Buffalo, Oklahoma. Growing up, Rosalind lived in nine states. She and her husband Don moved to Lafayette in 1964 and made it their home. She is survived by her dear sister Carolyn Wheat of Houston, TX; her fifteen children and in-laws, Barbara Cooke of Kansas City MO, Pam and Garlynn Gaudin of Youngsville, Danny and Kathy Foley of Carencro, Mark Foley of Lafayette, Paul and Connie Foley of Baton Rouge, Rachel and Richard Miller of Franklinton, Matt and Frances Foley of Cincinnati OH, Laura and John Reese Brumfield of Franklinton, Ellen and Sam Wright of Lafayette, Tina and Keith Wicker of Lafayette, Pete and Laura Foley of Jackson MS, Andrew and LauraLee Foley of Ft. Thomas KY, Zita Foley of Lafayette, Thomas Foley of Lafayette and Clare and Raphael LaMott of Lafayette, fifty grandchildren and fifty-nine great-grandchildren. They were the joy of her life.

She was pre-deceased by her beloved husband of forty-six years, Donald Ignatius Foley, Sr.; her parents, Emerson and Marie Cook and Elinore and Charles Shoemaker; her sister Jacquelyn Gahm and brother-in-law JT Gahm; brother-in-law William Wheat; her dear daughter-in-law, Charlotte Comeaux Foley and son-in-law Sid Cooke; and great-grandson Ethan.

A lifelong learner, Rosalind had many interests: travel, her friends, books, art, music and the two things ladies of her generation were not supposed to talk about, religion and politics. She began writing at a young age and continued throughout her life, producing fiction, essays, poetry and screenplays. Personal and global peace are common themes in her work. She felt keenly about social justice and always encouraged her children to be involved in caring for others.

Early in her writing career she adapted the memoirs of Monsignor William J. Teurlings, a Dutch missionary priest who built St. John's Cathedral, St. Genevieve and St. Patrick's Churches in Lafayette. The book was called One Mile an Hour, the speed with which Father Teurlings was able to travel on horseback in his early ministry in Cameron Parish.

In 1979, on discovering the all-but-forgotten fact that thousands of German POWs had lived and worked in Louisiana in WWII, Foley began gathering anecdotal material. She enlisted the help of Dr. Matthew J. Schott to document the era. Her role was to get oral history from Louisianians who had contact with POWs and to locate and interview German former POWS. The results of their two year research project are in the ULL Archives. The experience led to many new friendships, here and abroad. Rosalind Foley subsequently wrote the novel, Hero's Welcome, set during the time the POWs toiled in Louisiana cotton, rice and sugar cane fields.

A dedicated parishioner of St. Elizabeth Seton Church from its founding, Rosalind Foley also believed in community service, something she instilled in her children. She served on the boards of Northside, Inc, Writer Guild of Acadiana and Teurlings Catholic High School.

The family wishes to thank for their care Drs. Brian Barnes, Karen Roden, Richard Fei, Scott Gautreaux, Kenneth Guilbeau, Michael Smyth, Glen Mire as well as Debbie White, Kristie Montoucet, Becky Click, Freda Hall, Retonda Prince, Jada Carter and her angel Maria Winzens.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Teurlings Catholic Don Foley Memorial Fund, Southern Mutual Health Association or Cite des Arts.

View the obituary and guestbook online at www.mourning.com

Martin & Castille - SCOTT, 802 Alfred Street Scott, Louisiana 70583 337-234-2320