Diane Foley

Diane Foley Diane Ellen Berger Foley April 20, 1952 - December 21, 2015 Diane was born in Elkhart, Indiana to Stanley Ward and Martha Loretta (Chamberlin) Berger. She passed away at the age of 63 in Eugene, Oregon following a more than three year battle that she fought valiantly with strength and courage to beat cholangiocarcinoma also known as bile duct cancer. Diane grew up on her parent’s Holstein dairy farm in Nappanee, Indiana, where her father also grew popcorn. She graduated from Northwood High School in 1970. She was a member of the 1970 Indiana All-State Band and received the John Phillip Sousa Award from her high school. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in instrumental music education from Ball State University (Muncie, Indiana) in 1974 and a master’s degree in music history and literature from Northwestern University (Evanston, Illinois) in 1979. As an undergraduate, she was a member of the Gamma Mu chapter of Alpha Chi Omega sorority and the Iota Chi chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity, where she served a term as chapter president and received the Ruby Sword of Honor, provincial leadership award. Following three years of music teaching in New Carlisle and Rolling Prairie, Indiana (2 years) and Nacogdoches, Texas (1 year), Diane went on to complete the accounting program at East Carolina University. She passed the CPA examination on her first attempt (one of only 10% of CPA candidates in the country to do so). She went on to work for more than 30 years as a certified public accountant including positions as a Senior Accountant with Lowrimore, Warwick, and Company, a regional accounting firm in Eastern North Carolina that later became affiliated with McGladrey and Pullen, LLP; Controller of the East Carolina University Foundation; and Director of Finance for Drs. Fine, Hoffman, and Sims in Eugene, a position that she retired from in July 2015. She was a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Oregon Society of Certified Public Accountants. She married Brad Foley on June 6, 1976 and followed him in his career to positions at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas for 2 years; East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina for 23 years where he served as assistant dean and dean of music; and the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon for the past 13 years where he continues to serve as dean of music and dance. Diane’s life was filled with many roles where she provided service and helped others in the communities in which she lived. During her 23 years in North Carolina her love of the arts and education combined with her skills in accounting and math enabled her to sit on numerous boards where she served in the role as board member and treasurer including the ECU Child Development Lab Parents Organization, Pitt County Arts Council, the Greenville Choral Society and New Carolina Sinfonia, and the Oakwood School. She also served as a Sunday school teacher and active volunteer, co-chairing the Family Life Committee at Jarvis Memorial United Methodist Church in Greenville. After moving to Eugene, Oregon in 2002 she became an active volunteer at Spencer Butte Middle School including two years as the school’s volunteer coordinator, service at South Eugene High School where she coordinated scrip sales, and served on the International High School Parent’s Council. Her mathematical and accounting skills were again called upon when she served as treasurer of the Arts Umbrella Board of Directors (now the Eugene Youth Symphony organization), and the Eugene Concert Choir Board, a position she held until November 2015. She was an active member of First United Methodist Church in Eugene where she was a member of the Handbell Choir and served on the Staff Parish Relations Committee. An avid reader and book club member over the years, she also enjoyed movies, concert going, attending the Metropolitan Opera Live Broadcasts, walking, hiking, playing and watching tennis. She was a member of the United States Tennis Association. In July 2014 and 2015 she completed the Eugene Butte to Butte walk on the Fourth of July, quite an accomplishment for a cancer patient. A frequent traveler, Diane recently enjoyed three trips abroad with the University of Oregon Chamber Choir and Patrons that took her to St. Petersburg Russia, Tallinn Estonia, and Helsinki Finland in 2011; throughout Ireland in 2013; and to Austria and Bavarian Germany in 2015. One of her favorite and most enjoyable journeys took her and sister-in-law Diane Garner to China in 2001. She was fortunate to have been to 49 of the 50 U.S. states (all except Alaska) and enjoyed time in her very favorite outdoor place on several occasions, Yellowstone National Park. In addition, Diane was an outstanding seamstress, knitter, a lover of dogs, and she possessed an incredible sense of humor that was present until her final days. Diane’s spirit will live on. She was always able to find humor in even the darkest situations, be positive, and make people laugh. Her closest friends talk of her thoughtful, supportive, and optimistic attitude. Her journey over the past three years was a testament to her courage, strength, resilience, and love of life. Her grace under duress and courage to fight, usually smiling and positive, served as a role model to all. Diane is survived by her husband, Brad; two children, Carolyn of Portland, Oregon, a fourth year medical student at Oregon Health Sciences University, and David of Ann Arbor, Michigan, a second year master’s student in music performance at the University of Michigan; one sister, Nancy Mathis (John) of Vincennes, Indiana; and three nieces, one nephew, many Berger and Chamberlin cousins, and one remaining dear aunt Phyllis Chamberlin. Remembrances may be made to First United Methodist Church, 1376 Olive Street, Eugene, OR 97401 or the Oregon Cancer Foundation, PO Box 11004, Eugene, OR 97440. A memorial service is planned for Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at 2:00 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 1376 Olive Street, Eugene Arrangements by Musgrove Mortuaries, Inc., www.musgroves.com