February 13, 1942 – December 12, 2025
Linda Rae Foley, 83, of Gurnee, IL, passed away on Friday, December 12, 2025, at Trinity Care Center in TX.
Born on February 13, 1942, in Casper, WY, she was the daughter of the late Harry and Janice (Strand) Bishop. In 1954, she was baptized at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Casper, which Linda considered the greatest blessing of her life.
She attended Park and St. Anthony grade schools and finished junior high in Torrington, WY. In 1956, she entered St. Francis Convent in Milwaukee, WI, as an Aspirant and was educated at St. Mary’s Academy. She returned to Casper and graduated from NCHS in 1960.
Linda entered the nursing program at St. Joseph Hospital in Denver, CO, and graduated in 1963. She practiced nursing most of her adult life. She worked in Labor and Delivery, the Alternate Birth Center, and the Antenatal Testing Unit at Mercy Hospital in San Diego. She was one of the founding instructors of the childbirth education program at Mercy. She also taught childbirth and parenting classes for the East County Adult Education Program.
She was a speaker for the Family Life programs at Our Lady of Grace School in El Cajon, CA, and the Academy of Our Lady of Peace in San Diego. Linda immensely enjoyed teaching and interacting with her students.
She was married to Richard Foley from 1964 until their divorce in 1987.
In 1996, Linda and her youngest son, Colin, moved to South Bend, IN, where she worked at South Bend Memorial Hospital in Labor and Delivery and the High-Risk Obstetrical Unit. She retired from Memorial as a per diem Administrative Supervisor.
In 2016, Linda moved to IL. She joined St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church and was active in the Altar and Rosary Sodality and the choir.
In 2020, Linda joined St. Anne Catholic Church in Pleasant Prairie, WI.
She is survived by eight children; Richard Jr., Sean (Virginia), Deidra Carson Barry (Christopher), Kevin, Brian (Amber), Kieran Witham, Brendan, and Colin (Betty); 20 grandchildren; and sister Marla Sheehan.
Along with her parents, she is preceded in death by her sister, Cheryl Daily.
A visitation will be held at St. Anne Catholic Church, 9091 Prairie Ridge Blvd, Pleasant Prairie, WI, on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. until the time of Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. Interment to immediately follow at St. George Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to St. Annes Catholic Church or food for the poor at foodforthepoor.org.
