Thomas P. Foley

Obituary of Thomas P. Foley

Thomas Patrick Foley was born on March 7, 1937, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan to Beatrice Owens and Maurice Foley. Raised in Manhattan, Tom joined the New York City Police Department in 1959, serving in the 26th Precinct. Through dedication and hard work, he rose to the rank of homicide detective before retiring in 1979. Following his retirement from the police department, Tom began a second career at Columbia University, serving as Director of Security. He later continued his work as Director of Security at the Guggenheim Museum, retiring in 2003.

Tom met the love of his life, Sandy, at a church social. They married in June 1962 and made their home in Yonkers on Kimball Avenue. Together they raised three children: Lisaann, Thomas Jr., and Karina. Tom and Sandy shared 56 wonderful years of marriage until Sandy's passing in 2018.

Tom welcomed his first grandchild in April 1993, and by May 1998, he and Sandy were blessed with eight grandchildren: Thomas John (TJ), Victoria, Megan, Michael, Katarina, Kaitlin, Daniel, and Joseph. He was a devoted and proud grandfather who rarely missed a sporting event, dance recital, or school play.

Family was at the center of Tom's life. He loved coaching his son in sports and took great pride in his daughters attending Barnard College while he worked at Columbia - even commuting alongside his daughter Lisaann during her first year. He treasured his many interactions with colleagues, friends, church members, and extended family throughout his life.

In the late 1970s, Tom and Sandy purchased a home in Lake Naomi, PA. That house became a beloved gathering place both summer and winter, filled with cherished memories shared with children, grandchildren, extended family, and friends. In 2002, they moved to Heritage Hills, where they embraced an active lifestyle, made many new friends and enjoyed traveling together.

Tom will always be remembered for his love of basketball - he was never one to pass up a pickup game - and for his unwavering loyalty to the Yankees. He also had a deep love of wine, cooking, and dancing whenever music filled the room.

Tom's family will receive friends on Sunday, March 1, 2026 from 2:00pm to 6:00pm at Clark Associates Funeral Home, 4 Woods Bridge Road, Katonah, NY. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, March 2, 2026 at 11:30am at St. Joseph RC Church, 95 Plum Brook Road, Somers, NY. Interment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at stjude.org or the Alzheimer's Association at donorservicesalz.org.