February 22, 2025

Molly E. Foley went home on the morning of February 22, 2025, encompassed by the love of her family. A spirited soul from Lyndwood, PA, Molly was one of seven children born to the late Ida Mae and William J. Foley Sr. Her 59 years were lived with a vibrant intensity that touched all corners of the Valley and the world.

She leaves behind a loving family: her brother, William Foley Jr.; her son, Joseph W. Foley; her daughter, Chelsea Ruane; and her cherished grandchildren, Freya, Lux, and Philip, and goddaughter Jordyn Reakes. Molly leaves her beloved Newfoundlands Jack and Freddie, along with memories of their late siblings, Willow, Sedona, Max, Amelia, and Simon.

Molly was truly the heart of the Valley—a warm beacon who could embrace you in a hug and, in a whisper, seem to know your whole story without asking a single question. Her quick wit could cut through any tension and turn heads, yet her words often healed mending hearts with her warmth and sense of home. Even her priest, Father Paul McDonnell, was not immune to her candid charm, which could coax colorful language from the most reserved tongues.

To know Molly was to ride a rollercoaster of emotions: you might have adored her, perhaps bristled at her candor, but inevitably, you respected her unwavering authenticity. She was unapologetically herself—direct, honest, without a hint of pretense. As much as her loved ones fought back the idea of her being right, she often was indeed—and she knew it too.

Molly’s life was a living testament to service, whether she was spinning stories at her beauty salon, Utopia, or providing comfort as a travel nurse. She had an innate ability to make everyone feel a bit lighter, a whole lot brighter.

Her legacy is woven not only into the lives she touched but also in the laughter and wisdom she left behind. Her family finds enormous peace knowing she is finally where she wanted to be, with her mom, Ida Mae, and her father, Bill.

As we honor her memory, let us celebrate Molly by living as she did—embracing life with laughter and loving with a full heart.

In accordance with Molly’s wishes, there will be no service or disclosed burial location.

In time to come, and as Molly would say when reading between the lines, a foundation benefiting celiac artery disease will be created in her honor, with an annual golf tournament in remembrance of her and her best friend, Poppy, to follow.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mamary-Durkin Funeral & Cremation Services, 59 Parrish St. Wilkes-Barre.