Announcement-Passing of Donald (Don) James Foley, PLS 3771

[Michael J Foley]

Announcement-Passing of Donald (Don) James Foley, PLS 3771

It is with great sadness that I must announce that my father passed a few weeks ago. What follows is a biography of his life. Look for a more detailed one in the next few weeks to be on the Mount Diablo Surveyors Historical Society’s web site (www.mdshs.org) “In Memorialâ€￾ page. My apologies if this seem rather long or disjointed, but it is hard to edit with tears in one’s eyes.

Michael James Foley
April 13, 2011
********
In Memorial

Donald (Don) James Foley (78)
California Licensed Land Surveyor No. L 3771
Born September 17, 1933, Died April 2, 2011

Don was born on September 17, 1933 in the town of Worcester, Massachusetts.

Don graduated from Shrewsbury High School (The “Colonialsâ€￾), Shrewsbury, MA on June 11, 1952. Quote from his 1952 High School Year Book “The Colonialâ€￾ “A little mischief now and then, is cherished by the best of men.

Don began his surveying career in October of 1951 with Moore Surveying and Mapping Corporation in his hometown of Shrewsbury Massachusetts.

In March of 1953 Don enlisted in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict and served stateside from March 6, 1953 to March 5, 1956 with the Army Security Agency. He received his horary discharge with the rank of Specialist Second Class RA. After basic, Don was stationed at Fort Devens, Massachusetts where he met his soon to be wife, Rita.

Don was married to Marie Therese Rita Gagne of Fitchburg, Mass on May 8, 1955 and had just celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary prior to her preceding him in life on May 29, 1996. They had four children together, Michael, Barbara, Donna and Ellyn.

After his enlistment ended in 1956, he returned to Moore Surveying & Mapping Corporation and earned an AE degree in Civil Engineering between out of town assignments including projects in Baffin Island Canada and an Air Force base out of Tule Greenland.

Don attended and received a Degree of “Associate in Engineeringâ€￾ (Civil Engineering) from Worcester Junior College, a private two-year college, located near Worcester, Massachusetts, Evening Division on June 12, 1960.

In October 1960 Don moved his family to Fresno, California where he accepted a position with J. A. Ross & Associates. Don started as a rear chainman, but his experience and training allowed him to quickly move up to the position of Party Chief.

In July 1963 Don resigned from J. A. Ross to accept a position with PG&E’s Land Department. Don once again started at the bottom of the rung as was the custom with PG&E as a rear chainman, but that did not last for very long. At this point Don had over nine years of field experience and a Degree of Associates in (Civil) Engineering.

Don Foley was a Licensed Land Surveyor employed by Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s (PG&E) General Land Office in San Francisco, CA for 24 years and retired as the units Supervisor of Field Engineering. He was responsible for the Company’s survey activities within its service area covering 45 of the 58 California Counties

Don worked as a field Party Chief out of PGandE General Land Office in San Francisco, but was a “basedâ€￾ out of Fresno.

Major projects included establishing the primary field control for the Helms Creek / Lake Wishon power plant project in the Sierra Nevada high country. This involved traveling on horseback into a wilderness area (no helicopters) and camping out.

Don surveyed for many of the high tension power lines that run down the central valley on the west side of I-580 – I 5

Later he was promoted to the position of Senior Field Engineer overseeing several field crews spread throughout PGandE’ vast service area.

It was at this time that Don moved the family from Fresno, having lived there since 1960 to Petaluma, CA on October 30th of 1973.

In his position as Supervisor of Field Engineering, Don was P.G.&E.’s Chief Surveyor, he lead a staff of 42, including 6 Licensed Land Surveyors, 10 survey crews and had functional supervision over 28 survey crews based in P.G.&E.’s 11 operating divisions.

Don served as P.G.&E.’s main Land Surveyor Expert Witness on many cases such as, civil, criminal and condemnations.

Don retired from P.G.&E. in 1987, after 24 years and went into private practice under the company name of Utility Field Services, consulting back to P.G.&E. as well as U.S. Generating Corporation working on projects in California’s San Joaquin and Kern counties, along the U.S. Mexico border as well as New York state offering route design services, Expert Witness Testimony and Court Exhibits. Don closed his consulting business some time in 2004 to concentrate on his “thirdâ€￾ retirement and his grand children.

Don took his California Licensed Land Surveyors exam in 1970, passed and received his certificate number L 3771.

Don became a Corporate Member of the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping on February 25, 1972

On October 14, 1977 during the annual 1977 ASP-ACSM (American Society of Photogrammetrists-American Congress on Surveying and Mapping) California Conference held at the Berkeley Marriott Hotel, Don along with a group of seven other California surveyors helped to establish the Surveyors Historical Society. Don was one of the initial provisional board of trustees and served as co-trustee along with the late Roy Minnick as Membership Chairman. Other co-founders and board of trustees members were the late F. D. “Budâ€￾ Uzes, Chairperson; Robert W. Curtis, Vice Chairperson; Myron A. Lewis, Recording Secretary; Michael K. Welch, Treasurer; the late Cecil E. Hanson, Historical Instruments and the late Curtis M. Brown, Historical Deeds and Map Records. A good crowd to be amongst by anyone’s measure!

The purpose and aims of the society were and are to preserve and display history, records, equipment, etc. of survey related occupations including that from land surveying, aerial photography and title companies. The Surveyors Historical Society still exists today, some 34 years later with a national and international membership.

Don was an active member of the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping, Northern California Section rotating through the chairs and becoming Chairman in 1979.

Don often spoke at ACSM conferences on diverse topics such as “Corner Records and Records of Surveyâ€￾ (1979 ACSM California Conference 08/09/1978, later published in Vol. 5, Number 11 March-April 1979 issue of the ACSM-Northern California Section NEWSLETTER) and “Contract Opportunities in Surveying and Mapping for PGandEâ€￾ 1980 ACSM California Conference 10/25/1980, Sacramento, CA)

Don served as Exhibits Chairman for the 1981 ASP-ACSM Fall Technical Meeting held at San Francisco, CA and received special citation for his efforts. This unique convention opened on September 9, 1981 in San Francisco, CA and ran to September 11, closed then reconvened on September 14 to the 16th in Honolulu, HI.

Don became a Corporate Member of the California Land Surveyors Association on December 31, 1981.

Don was also a member of the Mount Diablo Surveyors Historical Society and became its 6th life member in 1999. Don was active in helping out at MDSHS events, including their storage trailer move, public display events such as Ardenwood, (Fremont, CA) USGS Open House events (Menlo Park, CA) Railfair 1999 (Sacramento, CA), often displaying his own equipment. Don also liked to attend their annual summer picnics

Don was not able to attend the Mount Diablo Surveyors Historical Society’s Sesquicentennial Celebration - July 21, 2001 of the Establishment of the Mount Diablo Initial Point due to a sudden illness, but he was able later with his son Michael to visit the point only once in his life, but he did make it.

Don sold his Petaluma home of 32 years and moved to Fresno, CA for a short period (2-years) then moved to Floyd VA for a short period (2-years) when in November of 2008 when he returned to Clovis to be near his children, grand children and great grand children. Don and his son Michael took a 10-day cross-country road trip following as much as possible the same route they both took in 1960 (Michael then only 5 years old.) from Massachusetts to Fresno, CA along old route 66.

Don lived his last 15 months at Orchard Park, an assisted living facility in Clovis, CA.

After a long decline in his health Don passed very quickly and peacefully in his sleep on April 2, 2011 at his home in Clovis, California with three of his four children, Michael, Barbara and Donna at his side with his fourth, Ellyn on the telephone at his ear. Many of his grand children were also nearby offering him comfort.

Don was a big believer in a college education and bequeathed a significant sum of money to be used for a scholarships endowment for students enrolled in Land Surveying course work. His son Michael, also a Licensed Land Surveyor (PLS 5777) will administer the gift. Interested parties may contribute to this endowment by contacting Michael at michael_foley_ls5777@yahoo.com

As per Don’s wishes, his body was cremated. His remains will rest at the San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery, 32053 West McCabe Road, Gustine (Located near the Town of Santa Nella), California alongside his wife Rita for 41 years who preceded him in death in 1996. [Section C-1, Grave Site 393]

A celebration of Don’s life will be held on Saturday April 16, 2011 at 10:00 am at Clovis Funeral Chapel, 1302 Clovis Avenue, Clovis, CA (559-298-7536) with a lunch reception immediately following at Di Cicco’s Italian Restaurant, 408 Clovis Avenue, Clovis, CA. (925) 299-3711.

A private graveside inurnment service will be held at a later date at the San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery.

Family condolences and remembrances of Don may be left at yelof20@yahoo.com

[E_Page]

My deepest condolences to you and your family. I didn't know your dad, but have probably benefitted from his efforts to better our profession.

[Stephen Johnson]

At this time I can't be sure, but I believe that I followed some of his work when I was working out of Novato in 90 & 91. I covered from San Francisco to Santa Rosa.

I am sure he will be missed.

SJ