Ronald Houston Foy

Ronald H. “Ronnie” Foy

October 19, 1952 – January 4, 2019

Ronnie was an outdoorsman among outdoorsmen…

He was a successful row crop farmer, ran a cow and calf operation, broke and trained horses, retired as a 30 year rural mail route carrier, and also guided deer and turkey hunts from 1988 until he left us.

His first turkey guided client was from Sylmar, California and returned to hunt turkey and deer for many years. Ronnie had people from almost every state in the U.S.A., Russia and Italy to join him in harvesting wildlife. His hunters were from all walks of life that included good ol’ country boys, celebrities, professional athletes, and governors with most finding their way back to Mississippi as repeat customers. Upon their arrival, he welcomed them into his lifelong farmhouse where his parents raised he and his brother. The farmhouse took on the name “Shop House” somewhere through the years and is where you would find Ronnie preparing every meal for his guest in the humble kitchen that his mother once provided meals for her family in. Over the stretch of his hunting career this old house has transformed into what most would consider a museum covered in wildlife relics and photographs that displayed unimaginable trophy hunts of the many passers through that were fortunate enough to be guided about the forests by such a man of the wild.

Ronnie has guided in West Virginia, Kentucky, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, Wyoming, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas.

During his hunting travels, Ronnie achieved a Double Grand Slam with a 12 gauge and also a .410 gauge shotgun on a trip in 2008.

Ronnie sold Pitman Game Calls and Outdoor Products for several years. He was on the Pro-Staff with Old Man Tree Stands, Paul Meek Game Calls, Feather Flex Decoys, Nat Gear Camouflage, Pitman Game Calls, and French Outdoor Bags. Ronnie promoted Hide Um Hunter Blinds, Brell Mar Products, Strong Built Deer Stands, and Drawlock Bows. He was president of Mississippi Guides and Outfitters Association in its first two years of being organized. Foy has been featured in hundreds of hunting magazines, newspaper articles, T.V. shows, hunting videos, and has also attended the SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Earl E. Mickel wrote a book titled, “Longbeards, Callmakers & Memories,” about his quest to harvest a turkey in every state. Earl chose Ronnie Foy to guide him so as to bring his Mississippi turkey capture a reality, Foy is mentioned in Mickels book. Mike Giles has a story about Foy in his book of inspirational outdoor stories, “Passion of the Wild.”

Foy put on seminars to promote hunting in Mississippi and also helped Paul Meek do a seminar for kids to teach the basics of calling turkeys. He made and sold a variety of diaphragm and scratch box turkey calls that he used in his daily activities during turkey hunts each season. Ronnie is showcased in the Mississippi Wildlife Heritage Museum in Leland Mississippi where Governor Phil Bryant proclaimed it as the Mississippi Wildlife Museum for Mississippi at its ribbon cutting. Lastly, Ronnie Foy was inducted into the Mississippi Outdoor Hall of Fame in 2016.

Foy was very proud to speak of the economic impact that he was able to help contribute to Mississippi as his clients brought many dollars to our great state from hunting license purchases, gas, groceries, taxidermists, deer meat processors, and many hunting supplies picked up over the years.

Aside from the many clients that quickly turned into friends, a 1979 CJ-5 Jeep has seen it all and is still going today.

Mr. Foy was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Rob Foy, his son Cal Foy, and his son Tee Foy. He is survived by his son Seth Foy, brother James Foy (Joy), Grandchildren Harper and Cal Foy.

Memorial Service will be held at “The Shop House” from 4-7 P.M. Tuesday, January 15. All are welcome.

An online guestbook is available at Breelandfuneralhome.com

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