HOUSTON — Lucy Foyt, spouse of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J. Foyt, died Wednesday in a Houston hospital following a short sickness. She was 84.
Born and raised within the Houston space, Lucy met her future husband at Lamar Excessive College and the 2 married in 1955. She supported her husband’s racing profession however not often attended races and as a substitute centered on her passions for “tradition, arts, and international journey,” the staff stated in an announcement.
“Lucy had a particular appreciation for all times, at all times embracing new experiences, folks, and challenges,” A.J. Foyt Racing stated. “There was by no means a uninteresting second being married to the auto racing legend; for almost 68 years, Lucy was his rock, retaining him grounded as he ascended to superstardom in motorsports.
“Her steadfast assist and superb grace underneath stress all through A.J.’s profession and post-career, which was marked by life-threatening accidents on a number of events, made it attainable for him to stage the exceptional comebacks that added to his legendary standing.”
Foyt, who turned 88 in January, had a pacemaker put in in early March. He missed the IndyCar season-opening race however spent final weekend at Texas Motor Speedway along with his two-car race staff.
Lucy Foyt was not feeling effectively when he returned residence and hospitalized earlier this week.
“I’ve recognized A.J. and Lucy Foyt almost so long as I’ve been concerned in racing. A lot of A.J.’s racing success was rooted within the strong basis of the love and assist that Lucy offered for him all through his profession,” stated Roger Penske, proprietor of IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “Racing could be a powerful enterprise, and A.J. was not proof against the risks drivers usually face.
“It was Lucy who was at all times there to assist A.J. navigate via the laborious instances and get him again to his profitable methods. Most significantly, Lucy’s dedication to the Foyt household is her greatest legacy. Protecting the household linked allowed A.J. to deal with being one of many best race automotive drivers of all time. I actually imagine that it might have been laborious for A.J. to attain all of his on-track success with out Lucy.”
Lucy Foyt is survived by her husband, sons A.J. Foyt III and Jerry, daughter Terry, and their grandson, Larry, whom the Foyts adopted and is the present president of A.J. Foyt Enterprises — the staff Foyt began in late 1965. The Foyts have eight grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.
“She was in a position to watch them develop to attain success, marry for love, and lift kids, a lot of that are named after her with the newest being Larry’s daughter, Lucy, who was born in January,” the staff stated.
Funeral preparations are pending.