Robert D. Foltz, 73, of Paris, passed away Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital in Canton.
He was born July 21, 1951, in Canton to Dwain Foltz of East Canton and the late Lucy (Blanchard) (Foltz) Breniser.
He and his wife operated Foltz Farms for many years, and he was the owner of R & E Enterprise and co-owner of Foltz & Foltz. He graduated from East Canton High School in 1969 and was a member of the Malvern First Christian Church.
He leaves behind a remarkable legacy as a dedicated servant to students, staff, and communities in the area. He was president of the Minerva Local School Board, of which he had been a member for 35 years, negotiating over 40 contracts between the MLEA and OAPSE, as well as at the R.G. Drage Career Center. He oversaw new building construction projects for every building in the district and led the transformation of every career tech program at R.G. Drage. He mentored nine superintendents between Minerva and R.G. Drage and initiated a regional Alateen program for Stark and Carroll County students at R.G. Drage. He served for 27 years on the R.G. Drage Board of Education, including three as vice president.
Bob was also a former pilot and member of the Flying Farmers, a member of the Stark County Farm Bureau for over 50 years, and an Al-Anon participant. He was a former youth baseball, football, and girls’ basketball coach and co-founder of girls’ softball in Minerva. Bob epitomized the qualities of a servant leader, consistently demonstrating selflessness in his personal, business, and board member experiences. He will be greatly missed.
In addition to his father and stepmother, Dwain and Kathy Foltz of East Canton, he is survived by his wife, Elisabeth (Lehrer) Foltz, whom he married on May 28, 1977; three children, Katie Hannen of Minerva, Tina Harmon of Canton, and Gary Foltz of Paris; several bonus children and grandchildren; a sister, Cathy (Chris) Patzell of East Canton; two nephews, Jake (Davina) Lesher and Jesse (Shannon) Lesher; five grandchildren, Kylie, Brendon, Kelsey, Jaret, and Jenna; and two great-grandchildren, Carter and Greyson.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 11 a.m. at Malvern First Christian Church with Mr. Kenny Thomas officiating.
Calling hours will be Tuesday from 5-8 p.m. at Gotschall-Hutchison Funeral Home in Minerva and one hour prior to the services at the church from 10-11 a.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Malvern First Christian Church Building Fund. The family would like to thank the staff at Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital for their amazing care.
Those wishing to send condolences may sign the online register at www.gotschallfuneralhome.com.