Martha M. Foy

October 21, 1931 - January 28, 2025

Martha McBryde Foy, age 93, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, in Enterprise, Alabama, at the home of her daughter, with family in loving attendance. She was born in 1931, in Dothan, Alabama, to Harvey Burns McBryde and Elizabeth (Farmer) McBryde.

A memorial service was held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, February 8, 2025, at First Baptist Church of Dothan with Dr. Taylor Rutland officiating and Glover Funeral Home directing.

An excellent student, Martha Foy graduated from Dothan High School in 1949 and then attended Hollins College in Roanoke, VA before transferring to the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, completing a BA in education at age 20 in 1952.

Dothan was home to many, many cousins and families long associated with one another and Martha thrived there in a period that encompassed the Great Depression and World War II. She loved the beach, and spent much time at Grayton Beach in Walton County, Florida, where her parents built a cottage in 1932. Love of that area would be a constant in her life in the decades to come and she and Robert shared that love with subsequent generations of family and friends at "the Lazy Snail" on County Hwy 30A.

Martha married Robert Edward Foy, Jr. of Dothan, AL on September 6, 1952 after he graduated from Virginia Military Institute and the couple moved to Birmingham, AL where Martha taught school while her husband attended medical school at the Medical College of Alabama. Dr and Mrs. Foy moved to San Antonio, TX with their newly born daughter, Elizabeth, when Robert reported for active duty in the U.S. Army. Soon the couple moved to Colorado where Robert did his residency in radiology at Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Aurora and son Edward was born in 1959. The young couple both learned to snow ski, a sport that Martha and Robert enjoyed with both children and grandchildren in the years ahead, skiing with friends and family members along on trips to Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Europe and even Chile.

Martha was a supportive Army wife. In addition to Fitzsimmons, the couple was also stationed at Ft. Benning, GA and Ft. Bragg, NC. It was at Ft. Benning that daughter Frances was born in 1961. Returning to civilian life in 1963, the couple resided in Dothan briefly before moving to Birmingham, AL, residing there from 1964 - 1968. There Martha was active as a third-grade Sunday School teacher at Canterbury Methodist, a cub scout den mother, the patient and understanding wife and mother who could even deal with the challenge of keeping ponies in the backyard on Dolly Ridge Road, from which they were known to escape from time to time. Martha Foy moved to Enterprise, AL in 1968, happily accompanying her husband on a journey that started as the wife of a medical student, then Army officer, medical school faculty member and finally, small town doctor, as Dr. Robert E Foy Jr. assumed the role of radiologist at Gibson Hospital in Enterprise and also in Graceville, FL. Together with her husband, she was committed to raising her children in a small town with strong emphasis on individual responsibility and liberty, civic involvement and patriotic pride, all values instilled in most of her generation.

Commitment to civic involvement led Martha Foy to participation with numerous organizations, including military and medical auxiliaries, but especially the Republican Party. She participated in numerous campaigns as a volunteer and later in county, state and national party organization leadership roles.

Her volunteer participation in campaigns included being a "Goldwater Girl" and grew from there. In 1981 she, Sue Cobb and others were instrumental in restarting the Republican Women of Coffee County and then she led similar efforts throughout Alabama, being elected as President of the Alabama Federation of Republican Women (AFRW) for five consecutive terms, a period during which the women of that organization were instrumental in the election of Governor Guy Hunt, Senator Jeramiah Denton and numerous others. In 1989 the AFRW was presented with a National Federation of Republican Women award for "Most New Chapters Formed in a State".

Martha simultaneously served on the Steering Committee of ALGOP for at least 11 years, and after moving back to Dothan in 1987 devoted much time and attention to the Houston County Republican Executive Committee and the Houston County Republican Women. In 1992 Martha was elected to serve as Alabama Committeewoman to the Republican National Committee and served in that capacity until 1996, during which time she and other grassroots organizers helped return House majority control to the GOP for the first time in 40 years and the GOP continued to expand its influence in the establishment of a vibrant two-party system in Alabama. She was a primary organizer of the 1996 Southern Republican Leadership Conference in Mobile, a three-day event sponsored by the RNC with attendees representing 13 states. Foy attended every Republican Convention from 1984-2004 as delegate, alternate or guest.

In recognition of her contributions the AFRW established the "Martha Foy Award" for the most valuable member of the AFRW during a two year period and the award is presented at each biennial convention of the AFRW. She was also honored by the establishment of a similar award given annually by the Republican Women of Houston County to one of their distinguished members.

Martha Foy was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Robert E, Foy Jr.; a sister, Celeste Hart; and brother, Archie Carmichael. She is survived by sister, Nancy Bell (John) of Atlanta; three children, Elizabeth Foy, Edward Foy (Robin), and Frances Strickland (Shelly); eight grandchildren, Frances Shortell (Brendan), Robert E. Foy IV (Sarah), Byron Strickland (Jenna), William Foy (Marisa), Margaret Tuttle (Rory), Charles Strickland (Blair), Thompson Foy (Katherine) Sarah Lewis (Will), 16 great-grandchildren, several nieces, nephews and their children; and a special family friend, Barbara Daniels.

Glover Funeral Home

1468 Hartford Highway Dothan, AL 36301