Remembering Greg Foltz
By Juliana L’Heureux
Obituary notices tell the highlights of a person’s life; but there’s not enough columns in a newspaper to tell the rest of the story about the late Greg Foltz, Ed.D., 55, who died on Wednesday, December 29, 2004, after a long battle with melanoma in Portland, Maine.
He is loved, and missed by his wife Dolores, his three children Mary, Gibrian and Ryan, and his devoted family and friends.
Dr. Foltz was known to everyone he met as “Greg”. He was Executive Director of St. Andre’s Home, Inc., the benevolent Maine agency known for superb advocacy work on behalf of adoptions, and women and children in crises. Working for over 17 years for the Good Shepherd Sisters of Quebec, affectionately known by their French acronym “scims”, Greg built St. Andre’s into a statewide coalition of excellent group homes and outreach programs for women and children. Although awesome as a warrior for the poor and downtrodden, Greg was arguably at his best when advocating in the political arena.
God gave Greg the gift of unlimited charisma to do his job well.
In fact, his charming demeanor, engaging personality and intelligent wit could sure draw a crowd! His soap box was entertaining and appropriate. Speaking out at town hall meetings, or in church parish halls, in front of United Ways, inside a Russian orphanage in the Ukraine, at the Maine Legislature, at the National Council for Adoption or in the face of the awesome United States Congress, Greg was absolutely masterful when he had a political audience. Furthermore, his message was always on the right side of an issue. You simply couldn’t disagree with him because his cause was to help others. He tirelessly reached out, with his magnificent personality, like a ray of sunshine, to touch anyone who was interested. Who isn't interesting in finding social support, and safety for women and children who need to get a fresh start in life? Everyone is interested. Greg knew how to get to us with effective visuals and brutally honest talk.
Moreover, as chair of the Diocese Social Justice and Peace Commission, Greg stood firm on two socially polarizing ballot questions.
Greg faithfully supported the effort to ban partial birth abortion in the failed 1999 referendum. Likewise, he served on the coalition to oppose physician assisted suicide in 2000, when the ballot question to legalize the controversial death procedure was thankfully defeated in a close vote. Obviously, Greg’s politics was “walk the walk and talk the talk”. He didn’t just work to help people. Rather, he stood up for the needs of women and children in support of life. Advocacy wasn’t just his job. Greg’s actions spoke as loudly as his words. What’s more, people enjoyed listening to him. “God is Good” was his favorite closing remark.
Greg was glued to the television coverage following the partial birth abortion referendum on election night 1999, when “Yes On Question One” was headed toward defeat. We were a gloomy bunch keeping watch that night. Nevertheless, Greg faithfully believed the referendum would pass and partial birth abortion would be illegal, regardless of the gloomy numbers thrown out by election night pundits.
Nevertheless, Question One lost. Likewise, Greg’s unwavering faith in God kept him going during years fighting melanoma. He valiantly battled his disease everyday. Those who knew him prayed for a miracle to cure the disease. Our reward for continuous prayer was the miracle of seeing Greg at work at St. Andre’s everyday for the purpose of helping others, even when he was very ill.
There just aren’t enough words to tell the hundreds of wonderful stories about Greg from those who knew him. Suffice it to say, he was able to work wonders using his wit and his faith, combined with the dedicated support of the Good Shepherd Sisters at St. Andre’s Home, Inc.
Some people are simply irreplaceable. Certainly, Greg’s cherished family knows how irreplaceable he is. In the professional world of public policy and social services, I believe Greg is one of the few who were chosen to be irreplaceable. Although Greg Foltz is gone from our physical world, the rest of his life and story must continue in the lives of those he loved and cared for. He set a magnificent example and raised the bar of moral consciousness very high.
Thomas Merton, the American writer and Trappist monk, was high on Greg’s long reading list. “It takes great heroism to devote one’s life to others in situations which are frustrating and unsatisfactory, and where one’s sacrifices may even be, in large measure, wasted. But here above all, faith in God is necessary,” wrote Merton. It was one of Greg’s favorite quotes. Perhaps Merton’s message is also the one Greg leaves behind for those of us who support St. Andre’s Home, Inc., and the daunting, yet noble, mission of helping women and children.
Hopefully, the rest of Greg’s story can continue to unfold through those of us who will continue his good work.
From your friend fo 15 years,
Juliana L'Heureux
