Jack Otis Foley

FOLEY, JACK OTIS - a resident of Mason, TN, retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and Flight Instructor for Federal Express Corporation in Memphis, passed away on Monday, November 24, 2008. Colonel Foley was born in Knoxville, Tennessee on June 27, 1942 to Anna Mae Berry Foley and the late Tyler Otis Foley. He attended South High School and was a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, receiving his Degree in Animal Husbandry. After participating in the R.O.T.C program he entered pilot training at Moody Air Base on April 21, 1965 and served his country with distinction for 28 years retiring as an Air Force Colonel. At his retirement he was the Director of Tanker Operations, World Wide at Offutt Air Force Base. Colonel Foley also served in a command position with several military units including Commander of the 922nd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron at Hellenikon AFB, Athens, Greece and Wing Commander of the 306th Strategic Wing, European Tanker Task Force, Mildenhall AFB, England, the first unit into Desert Storm. He was a command pilot with over 7,000 hours flying time. Other units with which he served are the 1st Airborne Command and Control Squadron piloting the E4 (747 Presidential Airborne Command Post); the 32nd Air Refueling Squadron at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, the first unit of KC10 Tankers brought on line; and the 68th Air Refueling Wing at Seymor Johnson AFB, North Carolina where he served as Director of Operations. He was a veteran of the Vietnam War, flying the RF-4C Phantom II and had 85 missions over north Vietnam and 123 over South Vietnam. Among his many commendations are the Distinguished Flying Cross the Silver Star, and the Air Medal with 23 Oak Leaf Clusters. Colonel Foley is survived by his wife, Deborah LaPierre of Gouvernuer, NY; daughter, Lisa Marie Foley and her husband Scott Strader of Atlanta, GA; son, Mason Wade Foley and his wife, Danice of Kennesaw, GA and their mother, Mickey Mallonee; two step-sons, Marcus Law and Michael Curico, both of Gouvernuer, NY; three brothers, John Foley and William Foley of Knoxville and James Foley of Santa Clarita, CA and three sisters, Dorothy Saulsbury of Hueytown, AL; Margaret Rector of Middlesboro, KY and Myra Sue Ferguson of Morristown, TN. A memorial service will be held at Berry Funeral Home on Chapman Highway, Monday, December 8th. Visitation of friends will be at 12 noon with services to follow at 1:00 p.m. The family requests that Memorials be directed to any Chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.