Edward Foale, Sr.

With a life that spanned times of war and times of peace, times of plenty and times of want, Ed Foale, Sr. created a priceless collection of memories taken from countless moments spent with the ones he loved. He was a hardworking man of honor who wasn’t concerned about building wealth or gaining great stature, rather, he made living life to the fullest his primary focus. A loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Ed's family was his greatest source of pride and joy. Although he will be deeply missed he will never be forgotten by all who were within his reach. Life during the 1930s was anything but easy as the Great Depression hovered over our nation throughout the entire time period. By the turn of the decade things were moving in the right direction, but it wouldn’t be until our nation became involved in WWII and manufacturing was focused on supporting the war effort that the hardship truly became a thing of the past. It was on December 8, 1941, that our nation officially entered the war, and until the end of WWII in 1945 the eyes of our nation were focused overseas. The 1940s were just getting started when a young couple from Kankakee, Illinois, was filled with unspeakable joy when they were blessed with the birth of a healthy baby boy on June 6, 1940. Ed A. was welcomed into the world by his parents, Edwin and Ethel (Miller) Foale, and he was joined in his family by his brothers, Michael and William Foale and Ricky L.Trudeau. His formative years were spent within Kankakee County, located in the eastern region of the state. In many ways Ed experienced an upbringing that was typical for the youth of his generation. As a young man he served his country in the United States Army from 1963 through 1964. This was a particularly volatile time in America as it was in 1963 that the nation mourned the loss of President John F. Kennedy while civil rights gained momentum as the Ku Klux Klan continued to cause great strife with no remorse. New and exciting changes were in store for Ed when he met a young woman named Ellen Dykstra Dayhoff. After dating for a time Ed married Ellen and her two daughters Stephanie and Darlene (Dee) on July 12, 1972. To support his family Ed worked as the co-owner of Sandy’s Emporium. In addition, he farmed for several years until retiring in 2005. Ed spent several years living in St. Anne until moving to Bradley during his sunset years. Although Ed was so often busy with work, he did fill his time away from work with things he enjoyed. For most of his life he was of the Baptist faith. Ed was a huge fan of NASCAR racing and also of the legendary Richard Petty for years. All who knew Ed Foale, Sr. would agree that he was truly one of a kind. He lived life on his own terms and didn’t shy away from doing things his own way. Ed was blessed to become a father, and later in life he was so proud to witness his family tree blossom to include the grandchildren and great-grandchildren he loved. Life will never be the same without him here, but the moments he shared with his family and friends will be forever cherished. Edward A. Foale, Sr., recently of Bradley and formerly of St. Anne, died on Saturday, September 13, 2014, at River North in Bradley. Edward’s family includes his daughters, Stephanie (Jeffrey) Berry of Bradley, Darlene (Dee) Wise of Bradley; grandchildren, Megan (Manny) Debesa, Kory Dutour (Adam Manno), Courtney Wise, Stella Berry (Dina Cyrier), Christine (Jason) Gutzeit, Nicole (Michael) Cote; 13 great-grandchildren; brother, John Michael (Amy) Foale of Texas; brothers, William Foale of Chicago, IL, Ricky L. Trudeau of Kankakee; and 4 nieces. Edward was preceded in death by his parents and great-granddaughters, Laila and Angel. A gathering for family and friends will take place on Tuesday, September 15, 2014, at the Kankakee Chapel of Schreffler Life Story Funeral Home from 5-8 p.m. The funeral service will continue on Wednesday, September 16, 2014, at 11 a.m. Burial will follow at Kankakee Memorial Gardens Cemetery. To view Mr. Foale’s obituary, leave a memory or sign his guestbook, please go to schrefflerfuneralhomes.com.

Edward Foale, Sr.

June 6, 1940 - September 13, 2014

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Edward Foale, Sr.

June 6, 1940 - September 13, 2014

365 Days of Grief Support

What We Do

Sympathy Gifts

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

Contact Information