Thanks to Fam Brownlee of the Forsyth County Library and Scott Sexton of the Winston Salem Journal, we have learned much more about our classmate, Mike Foltz: I will summarize Scott Sexton's article featuring Mike, which appeared in the 3/12/15 paper along with a photo of Mike on his final day. Sexton describes Mike to be at first blush a classic curmudgeon who didn't much want to put up with anyone's bs. Mike worked at the copy desk of the journal for more than 30 years. Mike came to work everyday wearing the same outfit - a brown Dickies shirt, blue jeans and his long thinning hair pulled back into a pony tail that poked out of the back of his cap. Underneath that exterior was the heart of a gentle soul who would give you "the shirt off his back" - and then scowl later because the act was described with a cliche. You wouldn't know his name because as a copy editior, his job was to make sure that the facts were indeed facts, that words were spelled correctly, and tht the King's English was used properly.
Mike was born in 1944 to Robert and Juanita Foltz and graduated from Reynolds HIgh School in 1962. He attended Wake Forest University, but didn't much like it. He worked for more than five years as a deputy clerk of Forsyth Suprior Court where he gained a reputation for efficiency. He was let go though under murky circumstances. When called to the stand to testify during the trial of three Black Panthers, he answered truthfully about the underrepresentation of the defendants - which apparently didn't sit well.
To the people at the journal, he was just "Foltz". He was a guy who loved great food and reporting well on things that mattered to his hometown. He was mischievious. When a co-worker got fed up with Mike's smoking cigars and asked him to quit, Mike replied - "I'll quit smoking when you quit farting!" Mike was an authenic individualist as indicated when his former boss suggested that he should trim his wild beard and buy a new pair of jeans. The next day, Mike showed up for work with a haircut, clean shaven, and wearing a suit and tie. He ws barely recognizable.
Under the surface, MIke was a man who quietly cared for his sister until the day she died, a guy who made certain that she knew she was loved and remembered. He was generous and kind to family, friends, and co-workers. Despite his best efforts to keep it hidden, that gentle side of him came out frequently.
My thoughts and prayers are with Mike`s family. Mike lived just a half block from me in the Ardmore neighborhood and we spent a lot of time together . Deeply sorry for his loss.
My condolences to Mike's family and those close to him. As one "individualist" to another: As you enter into the afterlife of your belief, keep on keepin' it real. Blessed be.
Danny T. Ferguson
Thanks to Fam Brownlee of the Forsyth County Library and Scott Sexton of the Winston Salem Journal, we have learned much more about our classmate, Mike Foltz: I will summarize Scott Sexton's article featuring Mike, which appeared in the 3/12/15 paper along with a photo of Mike on his final day. Sexton describes Mike to be at first blush a classic curmudgeon who didn't much want to put up with anyone's bs. Mike worked at the copy desk of the journal for more than 30 years. Mike came to work everyday wearing the same outfit - a brown Dickies shirt, blue jeans and his long thinning hair pulled back into a pony tail that poked out of the back of his cap. Underneath that exterior was the heart of a gentle soul who would give you "the shirt off his back" - and then scowl later because the act was described with a cliche. You wouldn't know his name because as a copy editior, his job was to make sure that the facts were indeed facts, that words were spelled correctly, and tht the King's English was used properly.
Mike was born in 1944 to Robert and Juanita Foltz and graduated from Reynolds HIgh School in 1962. He attended Wake Forest University, but didn't much like it. He worked for more than five years as a deputy clerk of Forsyth Suprior Court where he gained a reputation for efficiency. He was let go though under murky circumstances. When called to the stand to testify during the trial of three Black Panthers, he answered truthfully about the underrepresentation of the defendants - which apparently didn't sit well.
To the people at the journal, he was just "Foltz". He was a guy who loved great food and reporting well on things that mattered to his hometown. He was mischievious. When a co-worker got fed up with Mike's smoking cigars and asked him to quit, Mike replied - "I'll quit smoking when you quit farting!" Mike was an authenic individualist as indicated when his former boss suggested that he should trim his wild beard and buy a new pair of jeans. The next day, Mike showed up for work with a haircut, clean shaven, and wearing a suit and tie. He ws barely recognizable.
Under the surface, MIke was a man who quietly cared for his sister until the day she died, a guy who made certain that she knew she was loved and remembered. He was generous and kind to family, friends, and co-workers. Despite his best efforts to keep it hidden, that gentle side of him came out frequently.
Bruce R. Schiller
My thoughts and prayers are with Mike`s family. Mike lived just a half block from me in the Ardmore neighborhood and we spent a lot of time together . Deeply sorry for his loss.
Bruce Schiller
Terryll J. Brewer (Gilliam)
My condolences to Mike's family and those close to him. As one "individualist" to another: As you enter into the afterlife of your belief, keep on keepin' it real. Blessed be.