Bob Foley passed away on April 29, 2024 at the age of 72. He was born on April 28, 1952 in Havertown, PA to Jack Foley and Anne Corr, and maintained his strong Philadelphia roots through the ups and downs of decades of Philly sport seasons, constantly claiming to be “done with them” only to get sucked back in the next season which would undoubtedly be “the year”.

Bob always spoke fondly of his early years, which were full of adventures with his two brothers (Jack and Donald), his six sisters (Susie, Carole, Chris, Betsy, Margaret, and Gail), and his numerous cousins who lived nearby. As a student at St. Denis grade school and then Monsignor Bonner High School, Bob had a particular knack for causing trouble with the nuns, including an incident with a snowball that “absolutely” wasn’t aimed at anyone in particular and may have led to a suspension. He attended Villanova University and earned a degree in 1974 in Criminal Justice, and later got a Masters Degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in Sports Leadership where he negotiated several credit hours to be granted for “life experience” that he loved to bring up whenever he got the chance.

Bob’s passion was the sport of basketball, and he landed his first official Division I college coaching gig in 1978 at the University of Colorado at Boulder as an assistant to Rene Portland. When Rene moved to Penn State in 1980, she brought Bob along, where he later met the love of his life, Louise Leimkuhler - a standout player in her own right. After tying the knot, Bob and Louise moved to Providence, Rhode Island in 1985, where Bob led the Friars to 5 NCAA Tournament berths, including a trip to the Sweet 16 in 1990. His teams set numerous NCAA records, averaging 96.7 points per game during the 1990 season, and was inducted into the Providence College Hall of Fame in 2013. In 1996, he moved to the University of Richmond where he coached the Spiders for six seasons. In 2002, Bob retired from the nomadic coaching lifestyle and started Next Level Basketball, a series of skill clinics and summer camps that focused on teaching the fundamentals of basketball to young players in the Richmond, VA area. Bob worked with over 5,000 children and employed numerous high school and college students to build a business that combined his passion for teaching the game with his affection for the local community.

Despite all of these incredible accomplishments in the basketball world, the thing that Bob valued most was his family. He loved his siblings, in-laws, nieces, and nephews, and traveled to Philadelphia often for sporting events and family get-togethers. Foley events were known to be large, loud, and full of laughter, and Bob was often found in the middle of it all. He also had many friends who were basically family, including Bill Walsh and Nick Tracy, who remained best friends. In his later years, Bob picked up pickleball, where he mastered the art of spin shots and dinks, but could never quite lay off a pop-up that needed to be slammed down, regardless of who was on the other side of the net.

Over their nearly 40 years of marriage, Bob and Louise built an incredible life together with a passion for travel that led to adventures across the country and around the world. They raised their four children, Lauren, Bobby, Michelle, and Danny, in a house that was filled with sarcasm, laughter, and a whole lot of love. They also included their children in many of their travels, with cross-country trips and boating vacation stories that will be told for years to come.  Bob was an active father - stern at the dinner table when things got out of hand and too many cups of milk were “accidently” spilled, but could be found most weekends in the backyard serving as “all-time-QB” for the neighborhood pick-up game of touch football. He was thrilled with the choices in life partners that found each of his children (Brad, Anne, Danny, and Samantha, respectively), and he welcomed them all into the Foley family with open arms. The example of love and devotion that he set in his marriage with Louise will forever serve as a beautiful example of a true partnership and a legacy that each of these couples will carry forever.

Though Bob was an incredible coach, husband, and father, the real role where he excelled was as Grandpop. Quick to offer a freezepop or jump at the opportunity for a game of wiffle ball, Bob will be remembered by Emily (9), Abigail (7), John (5), and Miles (1 mo) as full of energy, a loyal attendee at youth sporting events, and a reliable supplier of ice cream at any hour of the day.

Bob Foley’s legacy is that of a dedicated coach, a loyal friend, a devoted husband, and a loving father and grandfather. He will be deeply missed, but his lessons and love will live on in the hearts of all who were lucky enough to know him.

Two celebrations of life are being planned in Bob’s honor - one in Philadelphia, PA and one in Richmond, VA. In lieu of flowers, the Foley family kindly requests that you share your favorite stories and pictures on the memorial board found below. We have also established a scholarship fund to support the attendance of underprivileged children in the Richmond area at Next Level Basketball camps in his honor (https://gofund.me/d59de2d5)