Richard Paul Foley

Richard Paul Foley, (Rick) died November 30, 2023 at the age of 68 after a long and courageous battle with cancer.  In his last month, he was completely surrounded and supported by his loving family and devoted friends. Rick was born in Cambridge, MA, on September 08, 1955.  Being a Boeing brat, the family moved to Seattle WA, and finally to the New Orleans area in 1962 where his father worked on the Saturn Rocket project at Michoud. Rick attended St. Mary Magdelene School in Metairie, attended Jesuit High School, and graduated from the University of New Orleans where he earned degrees in Philosophy and Mechanical Engineering, and went on to earn a Professional Engineering Degree.

 While attending Jesuit, he took up wrestling, and helped his team win the City and State Championship in 1972.  He always loved music, and became proficient in percussion, where he enjoyed playing drums with friends in his spare time. When he was 21, he started practicing Tae Kwon Do with a passion and moved up in the ranks to a 5th degree master.  He opened his own Dojang at Elmwood Fitness Center in 1995, and instructed/mentored countless children and adults in the art through the years.  He retired from teaching TKD in 2021, passing the teaching mantle on   so his passion will continue into the future.

Rick spent the majority of his engineering career working as a key person involved in making improvements and upgrades to extend the life of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, an enormous project that represents part of our national security. He was an extraordinary engineer and was a focal point for many important decisions, as such he was trusted by everyone and a mentor for many on the project.

Rick always had a thing for speed. He was an avid motorcyclist and beginning in 2010 began taking annual trips with friends to cruise the Rocky Mountain roads or the Appalachian stretches with the challenges those curves presented.  A lover of people and fun times, Rick loved to socialize and belonged to the Lyons Carnival Club where he would march before Rex on Mardi Gras day and also the uptown St. Patrick's parade.  And no one who ever attended one cannot forget his extravagant annual fall rooftop parties with live music.

 He fulfilled his dream of owning a Corvette in 2018 and enjoyed exploring the area at race car speed.   (Damn the potholes...full speed ahead).  He particularly enjoyed taking his friends for rides, and encouraged them to get behind the wheel to feel the thrill he felt.

Rick was a voracious reader and because of this, he could converse on any topic; though Science Fiction was his preferred genre. He had a velvet baritone voice, and shared that talent by being a reader for WRBH, Reading Radio for the Blind, as well as singing whenever he could.

Rick is survived by his partner of over 17 years, Sidonie Madeleine Faust, his daughter Shannon Foley Reboul (Carl), two step sons, Lucien LeDoux Smith and Simon Obrien Smith, two grandchildren, Camille Victoria Reboul, and Rhett Michael Reboul, two brothers, Frank Robert Foley and Christopher Foley, and a sister, Mary Anne Foley Wortmann.  He is preceded in death by his son, Michael Patrick Foley, his mother Loretta Patricia Minor and his father Richard Gerald Foley.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the MD Anderson Cancer Center or becoming a blood donor.

Visitation will be at 10:00 at Jacob Schoen & Son Funeral Home, 3827 Canal St., NOLA on Saturday, December 9, with the memorial service at 12:00.

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