Joan C. Foley

Joan C. Foley, 85, passed away at Reading Hospital on August 1, 2014. She resided at Phoebe Berks in Wernersville since 2010.

Born in Scranton on May 23, 1929, she was the daughter of the late John J. and Nellie (Sugrue) Foley. There are no immediate survivors.

Joan was a graduate of Pottsville High School and received a B.A. degree from the College of New Rochelle located in New Rochelle, New York. Her graduate work was done at Columbia University where she received an M.A. with honors in Comparative Medieval Literature. She pursued doctoral studies at Columbia and Oxford University, England, where she was awarded a certificate of distinction.

In 1964, Joan was persuaded to leave Pottsville to join the faculty of Governor Mifflin High School as an English teacher. She stayed until her retirement in 1987 and will always be known and fondly remembered as "Miss Foley."

Miss Foley's grading system for her weekly in-class themes was legendary. Points were subtracted from 100 for spelling and grammatical errors. Minor infractions were -2 and major mistakes were -4. An incomplete sentence brought an automatic "F." Students quickly learned that the best approach was to write briefly because the chance for fewer subtractions would result in higher grades.

Joan's teaching career spanned thirty-one years. In addition to Governor Mifflin, she taught English in the Pottsville and Boyertown schools and later as an adjunct professor at Alvernia College. While at Governor Mifflin, she directed the senior class play and organized monthly colloquia.

Joan was named a Pennsylvania Scholar. She was awarded a Ford Foundation Grant for two years to teach underprivileged children in North Carolina. That program became the prototype for the first Upward Bound Program in the United States. She accepted invitations to evaluate the English Departments of several colleges.

Her students were her family (in addition to a succession of poodles). She was named as favorite teacher in countless responses to website security questions.

In retirement, Joan volunteered at the Holy Name High School Library. She enjoyed golf and was a master bridge player. Miss Foley was a dedicated and inspiring teacher not only of English, but of life.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Rev. Msg. Joseph DeSantis on Tuesday at 10:00 A.M. in Sacred Heart R.C. Church, 701 Franklin St., West Reading. A luncheon reception will be held after the service. Burial will follow at 2:30 P.M. in St. Patrick's Church Calvary Cemetery, 319 Mahantango St., Pottsville.

Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading, is in charge of arrangements.