Ethel Mae Foley, 74, former publisher of The Landmark and other weekly newspapers, died Wednesday, August 12 at the Wathena Healthcare and Rehab Center in Wathena, Ks.
Born April 7, 1935, in Spearville, Ks., she was the daughter of John and Agnes Schuette. She was raised in Spearville where she married Donald Dwayne Foley on Dec. 29, 1951.
They moved to Wathena in 1959 when they purchased The Wathena Times. In 1971, they purchased the Horton (Ks) Headlight, and in November of 1979 they purchased The Landmark from Lucy Jones.
For much of her life, Mrs. Foley stayed busy as active mother of the couple’s seven children. Dwayne Foley died of a heart attack on July 25, 1980, just months after the couple had purchased The Landmark.
Assisted by her children, Mrs. Foley then became more active in the business, and served as publisher of the couple’s weekly newspapers. She later purchased a fourth newspaper, The Kansas Chief of Troy, in 2000.
In 2002, she sold The Landmark to her youngest son, Ivan, who had edited and managed the newspaper for several years.
She sold her other publications to her eldest son, Dana, owner of the Highland Vidette. The Highland and Wathena newspapers eventually consolidated with The Kansas Chief.
Mrs. Foley was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wathena and the Women's Council of the church. She was also a member of the Wathena American Legion Auxiliary. She enjoyed entertaining her large family on holidays and loved to dance.
She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; a sister, Evelyn Israel; and an infant son, Keylon.
Surviving are four daughters, Gayla (and Mike) Kiefer, Wathena; Lori (and Kevin) Vertin, Wathena; Nanette Foley of Chandler, Az.; Trudy (and Alan) Vertin of Platte City; three sons, Dana (and Nancy) Foley, Randy Foley, all of Wathena; and Landmark publishers Ivan (and Linda) Foley; 13 grandchildren and three great grandsons.
Funeral services were held Saturday at 10 a.m. at the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Wathena. Pallbearers will be her six grandsons, Kirby and Kent Kiefer, Dwight and Grant Foley, Kurt Foley and Blaise Vertin. Burial will be at Bellemont Cemetery, Wathena.
A prayer vigil was held at 6:30 p.m. followed by visitation from 7-9 p.m. on Friday at the church. |
