Michael Joseph Foltz

Michael (Mike) Foltz passed away peacefully with family and friends at his bedside on April 13, 2024. His gentle, kind, brave, unassuming and quick wit will live on in our hearts. He was born July 2, 1952 in Spokane Washington, the third of eight children of Leo and Lorraine Foltz. The Foltz family moved to Portland when he was six. Mike attended St. Ignatius Catholic Grade School from first to eighth grade, graduated from Benson Tech High School in 1970, and studied engineering at Oregon State University for two years.

He married Sandra Foltz in Reno Nevada and they spent 52 loving and adventurous years together. Mike loved to entertain family and friends. He and Sandi hosted many gatherings for holidays, BBQs on his Traeger, complete with time in the hot tub, birthdays, Super Bowl and Oregon Duck parties. His specialty was smoking salmon and brining turkey!

He attended St. Ignatius Catholic School and was an altar boy along with his brother, Greg. In high school, Mike maintained the landscape at the Loyola Retreat House gardens next St. Ignatius Parish and school.

Mike was an avid cyclist traveling to Vista House, Multnomah Falls and the beach with his childhood friend, Doug Craven.

His career interests began at Benson High School with the mechanical and electrical classes in combination with a job at Hapco Manufacturing. He became a journeyman electrician, spending most of his career with Adams Electric and Multnomah County. He retired from the IBEW Local #48, after receiving his 45-year pin! (1978-2023)

In his spare time, he loved fixing Hillmans, assembling televisions, computers and corner horn speakers. He was very mechanical and could fix anything! Mike loved to dabble in electronics and all things electrical! Mike appreciated the Pacific Northwest! He really enjoyed the Oregon coast, salmon fishing, hiking and camping with family and friends. Bend, the Oregon coast and Timothy Lake were among his favorite getaways! All would attest to his love of ANY road trip! He and Sandi travelled by auto across the U.S., to Canada, California, Arizona, Vegas/Indio, and Reno many times in the 1980’and 90’s. Over the years, Mike and Sandi hosted ten exchange students from Mexico and the Basque country. They were like family! He enjoyed visiting the locations in Mexico of Vallarta, Acapulco, Iguala, Mexico City, Cuernavaca, Taxco, Tepic, Guadalajara, Lake Chapala and Ajijic. Mike and Sandra also enjoyed cruises to the Caribbean and Mexican Riviera. His last big road trips were to Victoria, B.C. to see cousins in August 2023, and to Roads End on the Oregon coast the first part of March.

Music was a big part of his life. Mike played the piano and guitar and often attended live music concerts from Johnny Cash to Elton John! Neil Young was probably his all-time favorite, with attendance at seven concerts!

Mike’s life was full of love, family, friends, laughter and many great adventures! We love you Mikey! Your beautiful spirit will live in our hearts forever.

Mike is survived by his wife, Sandra; siblings Claudia Willis, Maureen Foltz, Megan Miller (John), Kathleen “Kik” Nielsen (Mike), Colleen Foltz and Richard Foltz (Gayle); and sisters-in-laws Dolores Foltz, and Tamra Dannis, brothers-in-law Stanley Dannis, Gary Wickham and Jason Reese. He also has one aunt-Peg Foltz, who lives in Pennsylvania and seven cousins. Uncle Mike enjoyed and loved his seventeen nieces and nephews, as well as twenty-five great nieces and nephews! His parents, Leo and Lorraine Foltz and brother Gregory Foltz preceded him in death.

Catholic funeral mass for Michael will be on his birthday, July 2, 2024, 11am, at St Ignatius Catholic Church 3400 SE 43rd Ave./Powell St. Portland Oregon. Immediately following the funeral mass there will be a Celebration of Life for Michael at the home of Mike and Kathleen Nielsen - 67 Touchstone, Lake Oswego from 1-4pm. Come share food, music and stories of Mike!

As an expression of sympathy, the family would be grateful for donations to the Vedruna Project in care of Mike’s sister, Sister Maureen Foltz CCh

https:// vedruna.org/en/vic-foundation/

Donations may be mailed to Vedruna Project

attn.: Sr. Maureen Foltz CCh

1222 Monroe Street, NE

Washington DC 20017