Eileen Rose Monica Foley Eaves
"Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety." Our precious mother, Eileen Rose Monica Foley Eaves, went to that great golf course in the sky on Tuesday Morning,
August 10, 2021. She received one of her fondest wishes when she passed in her home of 62 years, immersed in the love and devotion of her children. A hero to all who knew her, she raised nine kids by herself with discernment and wit, choosing adventure and delight where others may have found insurmountable burdens. In her golden years, she roamed the world from such enchanted destinations as the green isles of Ireland to Torremolinos, Spain, and two trips to Machu Picchu in Peru (in her 80's!). She was a rare spirit who was a gift and a blessing to all whom she touched. Although we wept at her passing, Heaven welcomed her joyous spirit with open arms and a putter.
On June 12 of 1923, Eileen was born to a large Irish Catholic family in Wabasha, MN, the sixth of 10 children. Her father was John 'J.R.' Foley, a prominent member of the local and statewide communities as an attorney, environmentalist, and civil servant. Her mother, Ellen 'Nellie' Brennan Foley, a former teacher, was a local civic leader. Five of her brothers would serve in the military; Jack, Bob, and Dan served in WWII, Pat and Gene in the years after that war. Brother Dan Foley would also serve as the American Legion National Commander in 1963-64. Eileen's brother, Francis Patrick, passed away in his mother's arms when an infant.
Eileen discovered the game of golf at the Wabasha Golf club. In 1939, at the age of 16, she was the runner-up in the junior golf championship there. Upon graduation from St. Felix Catholic high school in 1941, she headed off to the College of St. Catherine's in Saint Paul. She was nicknamed "Sis," having followed her two older sisters there, Mary Foley Ferron and Catherine Foley Quigley. Little sister Rosie Foley Miller would follow Eileen to St. Kate's. During the summers, when in college, she taught swimming lessons in Wabasha and other local towns. Eileen graduated from St. Kate's in 1945 with a degree in Spanish. Her first job out of college was as an executive assistant to a vice-president at Honeywell in Minneapolis.
She lived in an apartment with friends near Loring Park and took the trolley to work. Her hometown sweetheart, Robert 'Buster' Eaves(Wabasha High 1941), was discharged from USMC, after serving in the Pacific theater of WWII. They were married at St. Felix church on December 31, 1946. Buster enrolled at the College of Saint Thomas on the GI Bill. They moved into a Quonset hut on the campus with their first two children, Paul and John. 7 more children would expand the family. Eileen raised her children in Maplewood and retired from her career as a child support investigator at Ramsey County district court. In her well-earned retirement, she balanced between grandkids, reading, newspapers, travel, Katie class of 1945 lunches, golf (playing until she was 92), lunch with high school friend Olivia Stegner Kennedy and volunteer work at her church, St. Jeromes. Often reading five books at a time, she would state (with a wink in her eye) that her favorite subject was good-looking dependable men. Her cherished traits were a razor-sharp Irish wit, a generosity of spirit, a love of adventure, and unconditional love and patience for her family and friends. Talking about her mother one day, she wondered, "how did she do it, raise all those kids?" When asked, "How did you do it? You answer that question. How did you raise nine kids?" she replied, "I just kept going." And she did. And we will. With hearts overflowing with gratitude and love. We hold her in our hearts, now and always; our witty, smart, fun, and most amazing Mother.
In 2013, we celebrated Eileen's 90th birthday in Wabasha. She and her brother Pat did a tour of all places Foley aboard a golf cart procured by local civic leader Sharon Burke, a member of the extended Foley family. The Foley clan has always felt Wabasha was their ancestral home in America. Generations of them regularly visit the Foley departed at St. Felix cemetery. The stories of their idyllic childhood in Wabasha are kept alive by all that loved them and that will forever love them. Eileen was the last of the 10 Foley siblings born in Wabasha.
Eileen was preceded in death by her former husband Robert Paul Eaves, his mother, Blanche Marie Schumacher Eaves, her son John Patrick Eaves, her parents John Robert 'J.R.' Foley and Ellen "Nellie" Brennan Foley. She was also predeceased by infant brother Francis Patrick Foley of Wabasha, MN; sister Ellen Mary Ferron of Arlington, Va., dietician; brother Congressman John 'Jack' Robert Foley of Silver Spring, Md.; brother Lt. Col. Robert 'Bob' Langdon Foley of Mendota Heights, Air Force pilot, and B29 reconnaissance squadron commander and his wife, Sis' best friend, Margaret 'Margie' Bishop Foley; sister Catherine Langdon Foley Quigley of Woodbury, MN, chemist and poet; brother Judge Daniel Francis Foley, Minnesota State Court of Appeals Judge and National Commander of the American Legion; brother Judge Patrick Joseph Foley of Tampa, FL, Former Federal Administrative Law Judge and U.S. Attorney in MN; brother Eugene 'Gene' Patrick Foley of Washington, D.C., President Kennedy's former national administrator of the Small Business Administration and President Johnson's Special Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development; and sister Roseleen Miller of Rice Lake, WI, special education teacher; her siblings' spouses, niece Susan Kathleen Ferron, niece Monica Anna-Catherine Wicks and nephew Patrick Eugene Foley.
Eileen is survived by sons Paul (Kathi Rickert), Peter, Michael, Bill; daughters Kathi Ryks (Dan), Patricia (Stuart Alger), Mary Thompson (Rick), Kelly Trygg (Brian), daughter-in-law Linda Randy Eaves; 20 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews. Catholic Mass at St. Felix church and interment at St. Felix Cemetery in Wabasha, MN in 2022. Eileen generously donated toward the treatment and cure of diabetes, arthritis, and leukemia/lymphoma. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to those charities, St. Jerome's Catholic church of Maplewood or the Foley Ferron Canes scholarship fund at the Office of Development, University of Saint Catherine's, 2004 Randolph Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55105.
Services provided by Willwerscheid Funeral Home on Grand Avenue.
