Obituary of James Edward Foley

James Edward Foley of Syracuse, New York passed away August 19, 2004 at the age of 86 while in the care of his wife Irene and daughter Patricia Foley Kromer in Shreveport, Louisiana where he had resided for the past 5? years. Born on February 20, 1918, Jim was the son of Charles E. Foley and Jasena Rappleye Foley of Syracuse. He married Irene Ayer of Bamberg, South Carolina at the "Little Church Around the Corner" in New York City August 29, 1944. Sgt. Foley served his country in World War II with the Army Motion Picture Service at Ft. Belvoir, VA and in the European Theater at Camp Top Hat in Belgium as a projectionist and manager and maintained his interest in theaters and picture palaces throughout his life. He managed the Midtown Theatre and was a projectionist at many Syracuse theaters. He loved the theater since the age of 12, working at them in high school and later managing theaters in Geneva, Tupper Lake and Amsterdam. Jim joined Local 108 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees in August of 1946, shortly after his discharge from active duty. He came to Syracuse in 1948 where he found work as a relief projectionist and stagehand, working at all the theaters until 1951 when he was hired as the first stage manager at the new Onondaga County War Memorial. He retired from the War Memorial Auditorium in 1982. Jim joined Local 9 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees in October of 1959 and served several terms as Secretary-Treasurer and Trustee on the Union's Executive Board before retiring from active membership in 1990. Jim was presented with a gold card and a fifty-year members scroll by the International Alliance in 1997. He was a founding board member for the Syracuse Area Landmark Theatre and served as Director of the Northeast Region of the Theatre Historical Society of America where he was Member of the Year in 1978. Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife, Irene; daughter, Patricia F. Kromer; son-in-law Michael C. Kromer, formerly of Elmira, New York; granddaughters Kelly Jasena Kromer of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Kristy Michelle Kromer of Shreveport, Louisiana; brother Richard C. Foley and his wife Bertha Carr Foley of Syracuse, New York and Lakeland, Florida; nephew Charles Foley of Lincoln, Nebraska and niece Janet Foley Yost of Juliette, Georgia and many friends. Mr. Foley was predeceased by his parents and aunt Margaret Fish Harris of Syracuse. The family will receive friends at Ballweg & Lunsford Funeral Home, 4612 S. Salina Street, Syracuse, New York on Wednesday, September 15 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. A memorial service will take place Thursday morning at 10 a.m. at the funeral home with Rev. Michael Grinnals officiating. Interment will follow at the family cemetery in Bellona, New York. Pallbearers will be Patricia Kromer, Michael Kromer, Janet Yost, Karen Noonan, Bill Dolan and Mark De Lawyer. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the "Landmark Theatre", 362 S. Salina St., Syracuse, New York 13201, Attn: Denise Frezina or to the "Theatre Historical Society of America", a nonprofit organization, at 152 N. York St., Elmhurst, Illinois 60126, Attn: Richard Sklenar, Executive Director.