Pamela (Diggett) (Dutton) Foye, age 83, died Saturday, Sept. 12, following a brief illness with metastatic cancer, surrounded by family and friends at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers. Born in Acushnet on Aug. 2, 1943, she was the only child of Arthur A. and Violette R. (Desrosiers) Diggett. Ms. Foye is the former wife of the late Daniel Foye of Marblehead with whom she had one child, a daughter, Meghann E. Foye of Marblehead, a travel editor, novelist and freelance writer. She was also the former wife of the late Harold B. Dutton, III, formerly of Boston.
Ms. Foye spent the first 18 years of her life traveling with her mother and her father, who was a career soldier in the U.S. Army. Together they moved from assignment to assignment and lived in New Bedford, New York City, Rhode Island, France, Texas and Germany.
Ms. Foye graduated from Nurnberg American High School in Nurnberg, Germany, and attended New Bedford Institute of Textile Technology (now UMass Dartmouth), studying business administration. Ms. Foye worked for many years as treasurer of the Northern Textile Association in Boston. Ms. Foye moved to Marblehead in 1976. She received a master’s degree from Cambridge College in 1995. She held various positions in the social services field (Salem SAETA, Lynn JTPA, Marblehead Council on Aging and Catholic Charities North). She was executive director of Anchor to Windward of Marblehead from 2000 until 2020.
Ms. Foye was an active church and community volunteer for most of her life. She was a CCD teacher, secretary of the Parish Council and Food Pantry liaison at Star of the Sea for many years, as well as a Girl Scout leader. Elected to the board of commissioners of the Marblehead Housing Authority in 2009, she served for 15 years. She was also an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Marblehead Harbor, where she served as assistant secretary and was a Paul Harris Fellow, and served on the board of the Friends of the Council on Aging. Ms. Foye was also a board member and assistant directrix of the Marblehead Female Humane Society.
In addition to her daughter, she is survived by her cousins, Violette Bobola of Lakeville, Celeste Girczyc of Cumberland, Rhode Island, Bernard Desrosiers of Lakeville, Robert Desrosiers of Hollywood, Florida, and James Desrosiers of Fairhaven, along with their spouses, children and grandchildren; her niece, Kerri Basile of Burlington and nephew, Ajay Foye of California, along with their spouses and children. She is also survived by her loving granddog, Winter.
Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, Sept. 17 beginning at 3 p.m., followed by a funeral service at 4 p.m., at Eustis & Cornell of Marblehead, 142 Elm St..
Donations in Ms. Foye’s memory may be made to Anchor to Windward, Inc., or the Marblehead Female Humane Society, PO Box 425, Marblehead, MA 01945 or via https://marbleheadfemalehumanesociety.com/membership-donation/
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at eustisandcornellfuneralhome.com for Ms. Foye’s family.
