Peter M. Foley

Peter M. Foley, age 82, a longtime resident of Dracut, passed away at Lowell General Hospital on Sunday, October 19, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. He was the late husband of Carol Gloria (McGrath) Foley with whom he enjoyed 55 years of marriage. He was born in Lowell on September 20, 1943, and was the son of the late Patrick J. and Eva B. (Bisson) Foley.
Peter, born and raised in Lowell, Massachusetts, lived a life marked by hard work and an unwavering dedication to his family and community. He attended Keith Academy in Lowell before pursuing further studies at a technical school in Boston. His early career began at Raytheon, but he soon transitioned to managing an AAMCO, where he gained valuable experience in the automotive industry.
In 1966, Peter married his beloved wife, Carol, and together they embarked on a journey of love and partnership. In 1967, they welcomed their first son, Michael, into the world. That same year, Peter took the step of opening his own transmission shop, Foley's Automatic Transmission, which marked the beginning of his career in the automotive business. His entrepreneurial spirit would later lead him to purchase Jack's Used Cars & Parts in 1975, a business he proudly owned and operated up until his final day. His dedication to his work and his community was evident in everything he did – his legacy will live on through his sons, who will continue the operations of the salvage yard he built and cherished.
Peter and Carol went on to have two more children, Keith in 1968 and their "favorite daughter" Garet in 1978. Together, they raised a family grounded in love, respect, and faith. The bond they shared was made even stronger by the fact that all of Peter's children chose to remain close to home, settling on Long Pond. This sense of family, community, and togetherness was at the heart of his life, and he took great pride in the lasting connections he had with his children, and especially his grandchildren.
Peter is survived by his children, Michael P. Foley and his wife Mary, Keith P. Foley and his wife Kelly, and Garet M. Foley and his wife Christine; his grandchildren, Kayla Foley and her husband Jake Pugh, Nicholas Foley and his wife Jordan, Lauren Foley and her significant other Nicholas Novello, Slade Sousa, Dillan, Shealyn, and Colin Foley, Isabella and Ava Foley; his siblings, James Foley and his late wife Dorothy, Maureen Potvin and her husband Frank; and special family friends, including Daniel Kelleher and David Beauchesne, who were like sons to Peter, as well as David's wife Kristine and their sons Cody and Matthew.
Visiting hours will be held on Sunday, October 26, 2025, from 1 pm to 5 pm at DRACUT FUNERAL HOME, 2159 Lakeview Ave., DRACUT. His Funeral Mass will be held on Monday at 10am at. St. Mary Magdalen Parish, 95 Lakeview Ave., Tyngsboro. KINDLY MEET AT THE CHURCH. Interment will follow in St. Mary Cemetery, Tewksbury.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made to the American Heart Association, https://www.heart.org/