Edmond and Barbara Foley were married Nov. 25, 1949, at St. Mary's Cathedral in Wichita, Kan., and celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this week. They have five children, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Ed Foley grew up on a farm in West Union, Iowa, and Postville, Iowa. He attended Postville High School and graduated in 1945. He left the family farm following graduation to enlist in the Air Force. He was stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska, El Paso, Texas, and Salina, Kan. Upon his return from Fairbanks, while he was stationed in Salina, he met Barbara.
Barbara Cook Foley grew up in Wichita, where she attended St. Mary's Cathedral High School. Ed and Barbara met when they had been picked to be best man and maid of honor for a friend's wedding. When they arrived at the church for the wedding, they found out that their friends had eloped the night before. That evening, they went on their first date to see a movie.
Ed and Barbara began their marriage farming in Postville, Iowa. They returned to Wichita in 1952. Barbara worked in Wichita for the 4th National Bank and Aircraftco, a distributorship for Beechcraft airplanes. Ed worked for the Wichita Eagle and Wichita Beacon newspapers.
In 1960, the Oklahoma Publishing Company offered Ed a job in the circulation department. During his employment with the Oklahoman, the family moved to Altus, Duncan and then in 1964 upon Ed's promotion to zone manager, the Foleys moved to Oklahoma City. After being employed with the Oklahoma Publishing Company for 25 years, he retired in 1986.
In 1968, Barbara took a full-time job with Farmer's Royalty Pool as secretary and bookkeeper. She continues to work there on a part-time basis. In 1992, Ed and Barbara built a home in Norman to be closer to family.
The Foleys are members of St. Thomas More University Parish and both are active with Prime Timers, as well as other groups within the church. Ed is a member of Knights of Columbus at St. Thomas More and enjoys working in the yard, golfing and walking his dog and best buddy, "Patches." Barbara enjoys her volunteer work with St. Vincent de Paul, Martha -- Mary's Guild, playing bridge and crafting. Both have enjoyed extensive traveling within the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii and also trips to Europe, Mexico and Canada.
Their children hosted a reception in their honor at the Embassy Suites Hotel. They are Rick and Sheila Foley, Steve Foley and fiancee Dawnette Bennett, Dan and Sherri Foley and Jim and Linda (Foley) Fields.
