He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin C. Foley. He attended St. Louis Elementary School, Vivian Flower Elementary School and E.C. Brice Jr. High School in Mount Pleasant and moved to Bullard, TX in 1974. He graduated from Whitehouse High School in 1980. He was a wide receiver on the Wildcat football team and named to the first team all District roster; he also excelled in basketball and track. He was a member of Smith Temple Church of God in Christ, where he sang in special groups and in the church choir. He played the piano, organ, and guitar and studied drafting at Tyler Junior College for two semesters in 1981 before joining the Navy. He joined the Navy in 1986 and intended to re-enlist. Surviving, in addition to his parents, are his biological daughter, April Michelle Griggs, wife, Denise Long Foley, two stepdaughters, a sister, Shelia L. Foley, his maternal grandparents Alfanuel and Lenora Miller, and his paternal grandfather, Freddie Williams. He was one of 47 sailors killed when 550 pounds of gunpowder exploded inside the No. 2, 16-inch gun turret on the battleship USS Iowa off Puerto Rico.
USS Iowa Memorial
USS Iowa Memorial
He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin C. Foley. He attended St. Louis Elementary School, Vivian Flower Elementary School and E.C. Brice Jr. High School in Mount Pleasant and moved to Bullard, TX in 1974. He graduated from Whitehouse High School in 1980. He was a wide receiver on the Wildcat football team and named to the first team all District roster; he also excelled in basketball and track. He was a member of Smith Temple Church of God in Christ, where he sang in special groups and in the church choir. He played the piano, organ, and guitar and studied drafting at Tyler Junior College for two semesters in 1981 before joining the Navy. He joined the Navy in 1986 and intended to re-enlist. Surviving, in addition to his parents, are his biological daughter, April Michelle Griggs, wife, Denise Long Foley, two stepdaughters, a sister, Shelia L. Foley, his maternal grandparents Alfanuel and Lenora Miller, and his paternal grandfather, Freddie Williams. He was one of 47 sailors killed when 550 pounds of gunpowder exploded inside the No. 2, 16-inch gun turret on the battleship USS Iowa off Puerto Rico.
USS Iowa Memorial
USS Iowa Memorial
Inscription
SN US NAVY
USS IOWA
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