THOMAS P. SR. Age 96 of Bayard, New Mexico, was born on October 19, 1914 in Silver City, New Mexico. He passed away peacefully on October 8, 2011 at the family home. Tommy was defined by his dedication to family, service to his country and community, tremendous faith, and his love of Notre Dame . Tommy was preceded in death by the love of his life, his wife, Joan Carney, his son Tom Foy, Jr., and his sister Rosemary Stewart. He is survived by his children: Celia Foy Castillo and her husband Alvino, Muffet Foy Cuddy, Carney Foy and his wife Creta, Jim Foy and his wife Valvina, and daughter-in-law Suzanne Jollensten. Tommy is also survived by his grandchildren: Celita Foy Castillo, Felisa Castillo Boatwright and her husband Clark, Loren Suzanne Jollensten Foy, Erin Foy Cuddy, Reese Foy Cuddy, Carston B. Foy, Caytlyn C. Foy, Valerie Horton and John Horton and his companion Maryssa Gerardo. Tommy is also survived by two great -grandchildren Eleanor Boatwright and Jonathan Horton as well as his sister Winifred Momsen and his brother J. Franey Foy. Tommy received a Bachelor of Science in Commerce and a Juris Doctorate from Notre Dame in 1937 and 1939 respectively. In 2004, as a result of his lifetime of achievements, Tommy received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Western New Mexico University. In 1940, Tommy joined the 200th Coast Artillery Battery of the New Mexico National Guard. He was assigned to the Philippines in 1941 and was captured by the Japanese in April 1942. He survived the Bataan Death March and was a prisoner of war until 1945. Tommy was honorably discharged from the Army on October 14, 1946. He received the decorated Bronze Star, Purple Heart, the Asian Pacific Ribbon and the New Mexico Distinguished Service Medal. He never forgot his fellow veterans and was an active member of numerous veterans' organizations for which he received an outstanding service award from the Disabled American Veterans. Tommy entered public service soon after returning from the war, serving as the Sixth Judicial District Attorney from 1949-1956. In 1970 Tommy was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives from Grant and Hidalgo counties where he represented his constituents and the people of New Mexico for 14 terms until 1998. In 1987 he received the Distinguished Service of Laws Award and was appointed as a National Commissioner from New Mexico on the Uniform State Laws Commission. He also received the New Mexico Trial Lawyers' Award of Achievement in 1993 and the Lifetime Legislative Achievement Award in 2006. He was affectionately called "Mr. Chairman" by his fellow legislators for his years of service as Chair of the House Judiciary Committee. Tommy began practicing law in 1941and was a member of the New Mexico Bar for 70 years. He was active in the Bar and served as a board member and vice-president of the New Mexico Bar Commission. He was a communicant of the Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher. He was active in his community, was integral in the development of Bayard and the Cobre Consolidated School District. In 1965, the Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce named Tommy "Citizen of the Year." An active member of the Bayard Lions Club, Tommy received a Lion's Club Service Award for over 70 years of service and served as a past district governor for Lions in southern New Mexico. He was a member of Silver City Moose Lodge #1718 and a life member of the Silver City Elks Lodge. "Get a good education, work hard, have a good moral compass to guide you, and serve your fellow man. Accept responsibility for the good that you do as well as the mistakes that you make. Enjoy life." These are the words Tommy lived by and the philosophy he instilled in his children and grandchildren. Tommy was a man of honor and integrity who lived his life to the fullest and always had a smile on his face. Public visitation is Thursday, October 13, 2011 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. followed by the Rosary at Baca's Funeral Chapel at Highway 180 and Delk Drive in Silver City. The Mass of the Resurrection is scheduled for Friday, October 14, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church at 340 Mayo in Bayard followed by burial at Fort Bayard National Cemetery. Pall bearers are Dennis Healy, John Horton, Dr. John Lundy, David Momsen, Peter Momsen and Tom Stewart. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the Thomas P. Foy Scholarship Fund, P. O. Box 266, Bayard, New Mexico, 88023
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