David Francis Foley, 68, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by the love of his family on Monday, December 1, 2025 after a long & hard fought battle with cancer. “Strong like bull” was his commonly repeated phrase throughout his life, and he was “strong like bull” to the very end.

David was born on January 27th, 1957 to David and Patricia Foley and raised in Woodcliff Lake, NJ. After graduating from Saint Joseph Regional High School in NJ, he went on to study Civil Engineering at University of Hartford in Connecticut, where he met the love of his life, Shari.

David and Shari put down roots in Durham, CT in 1994, raising their two children, Rachel and Dana, in the tight knit community. Being an active participant in the town was his greatest passion, serving on the Planning and Zoning board for 20+ years, and pouring his time and energy into the Durham Fair as a resident director, chair of the planning committee, and core member of the maintenance department.

Throughout his career as a Professional Engineer, David took pride in ensuring the safety of every job he completed, working most notably on Gampel Pavilion at UCONN. He briefly took a break from Civil Engineering to work as a home dog trainer for 7 years, helping support his children through the "chauffeur years” of after-school activities, sports, and summer camp drop-offs.

David was a loving husband to his wife of 41 years, Shari. He could always be counted on to make her laugh and loved to bring her joy in the little things. Whether surprise flowers, spur of the moment trips and activities, or taking the time to handpick the perfect piece of jewelry for holidays, anniversaries, or “just because” - he lived to see her smile. They valued their partnership, proudly making decisions as a team, and loved the life they built together.

One of the largest sources of pride for David was his two children, Rachel and Dana. He was a constant support for them, always sharing his pride in their accomplishments and pushing them to go after their dreams and passions. He was quick to lend a hand and always had practical advice, a quick fix, or the required tool to get a job done.

He was known among his friends as loyal, dependable, and quick with a joke - he would make friends everywhere he went. He was known for his legendary 4th of July parties, particularly the increasingly creative invitations, spending weeks crafting the perfect turn of phrase or theme to celebrate having all his friends together in one place.

He most enjoyed spending time in his favorite place: Popponesset, Cape Cod. After his family purchased their home there in 1969, he quickly established lifelong friendships throughout the numerous summers spent working (and playing) there. He enjoyed nothing more than getting up early to secure his favorite spot on the beach and spending the day chatting with friends & family, sailing, windsurfing, and digging holes for the kids.

While at home in Connecticut, he enjoyed long drives in his GTO, watching the sunset at various haunts along the shoreline, visiting new breweries, and “puttering” around the house for whatever task struck his fancy. In the summer months he could always be found floating in the pool with a newspaper or book; in the winter months seated by the fire reading with Shari.

He loved traveling with Shari, their life together was “always an adventure”. From cruising the Caribbean to exploring the cities of Europe, they collected treasures every step of the way and curated their home to be a reflection of their adventures together. David believed in finding the local spots and getting a real feel for a place - dive bars, hole in the wall joints, and local recommendations were a highlight of every trip. He enjoyed breaking out the rusty Spanish left over from his years living in Puerto Rico, and always made it a point to learn key phrases wherever they traveled. An avid diver, he especially loved traveling with the family on trips to Curacao and other tropical locations to explore the undersea life.

David will be best remembered with the Irish Blessing he frequently quoted:

May the road rise up to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face;

May the rain fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

David was predeceased by his mother Patricia Ann Foley, his father David William Foley, and his brother-in-law Peter McKenna. David is survived by his loving wife Shari, two wonderful daughters Rachel (Michael) and Dana, his 7 siblings Paul (Kathy), Patricia, Peter (Karen), Anne (Bob),  James (Sue), Jane (Joseph), and Timothy (Sherry), and his extended family including many nieces and nephews. A celebration of life will be held with details to follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Durham Fair Foundation to help continue the work and community he loved so dearly.

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