A sad day for the Auburn Family…..

  Heartsick. 

That’s the word my friend Katie used to describe how she felt today. I think it’s a pretty good description of how I feel too, and an emotion shared by many others in the Auburn Family. Today, we lost a beloved Auburn icon, Dean James E. Foy.

Just one month short of his 94th birthday, Dean Foy passed away last night in his sleep at his Auburn home. I’m not ashamed to say I cried when I heard the news. My husband was confused. He’s a University of Arkansas Alum. He couldn’t understand the reason for my tears.

How do you explain to someone who isn’t a part of the Auburn Family who Dean Foy is? He’s been called Mr. Auburn and Dean “War Eagle” Foy. In my effort to describe him, I called him the “Grandfather of Auburn”. He’s the sweet old man you see at every Auburn event…. leading cheers at pep-rallies, teaching incoming freshman how to be Auburn men and women, serving as the Grand Marshal of every Auburn Parade, and leading 87,451 Auburn fans in a rumbling “WAAAARRRR EAGLE!” from the 50 yard-line at Jordan Hare Stadium. He’s Aubie’s best friend. He’s Auburn’s biggest cheerleader.

How do you put into words all he has done for Auburn? The ways he’s served the Auburn Family for the past 60 years? He was the Dean of Students, an advisor, and a mentor to many Auburn men and women. He was a loving husband to his wife Emmalu for 61 years, until she passed away in 2004. She too loved Auburn and served the University and the community well, including her beautiful revision of the Auburn Alma Mater in 1960.

The Foy’s have left a wonderful legacy at Auburn. Many men have buildings or trophies named after them posthumously, but how many have that honor when they’re still alive? The James E. Foy Student Union was named after him. The Foy Information Desk still bears his name. And of course we can’t forget the James E. Foy, Omicron Delta Kappa Sportsmanship Award – the trophy given to the winner of the Iron Bowl each year.

Maybe the “Grandfather of Auburn” really is the best description. After all, I can’t imagine an Auburn event without Dean Foy….much like I can’t imagine a Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner without my own Granddaddy. He’s just supposed to be there….

Below are some of my photos with Dean Foy from my time at Auburn. He was quite the flirt! Every time I’d ask for a picture with him, he’d reply with a mischievous sparkle in his blue eyes, “I’ll always take a picture with a pretty girl!” 😉