The University of Alabama community is mourning the sudden and heartbreaking loss of Robert Harper Foley, a 19-year-old student from Dallas, Texas, who passed away on August 23, 2026, following a brief health issue. Harper, as he was known to family and friends, was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity and a proud member of the Crimson Tide community. His unexpected death has left his family, fraternity brothers, and friends reeling from the loss of a young man described as “the glue that held us together.”
Harper Foley, 19, a University of Alabama student from Dallas, Texas, died on August 23, 2026, following a brief health issue. A graduate of Lansing High School in Kansas, he was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity and the son of retired U.S. Army Brigadier General David Clifford Foley and Claire White Foley. His funeral services will be held on August 29, 2026, in Brent, Alabama.
A Military Child Who Called Many Places Home
Harper was born on May 18, 2007, in Kansas City, Kansas, to retired U.S. Army Brigadier General David Clifford Foley and Claire White Foley. Just three weeks after his birth, he began his journey as a military child, moving first to Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Over the next 18 years, he would call many places home.
His family’s military relocations included:
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Fort Campbell, Kentucky – His first move as an infant
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Washington, D.C. – Where he experienced life in the nation’s capital
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Fort Hood, Texas – Where he spent time in the heart of Texas
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Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania – Where he spent an idyllic year playing in the “dog bowl”
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Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington – Where he built igloos in the shadow of Mount Rainier
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MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Florida – Where he made friends on the fishing pier before the moving boxes were unpacked
Despite the frequent relocations, Harper adapted beautifully to each new chapter, finding his way back to his birth state of Kansas to graduate from Lansing High School in 2025.
A Lifelong Passion for Soccer
From the age of three, Harper shared a lifelong passion for soccer. The sport served as a constant anchor through every move, providing stability and friendship in each new location.
His soccer journey included:
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TC United
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Tampa Bay United
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Clarksville Soccer Club
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Tampa Raiders
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Toca FC
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Lansing Lions High School soccer team
On the pitch, he found some of his closest friendships and was inspired by the many dedicated coaches who helped shape him along the way.
Finding Home at the University of Alabama
Following his father’s military retirement, the family settled in Dallas, Texas. Shortly thereafter, Harper proudly stepped onto the campus of the University of Alabama, where he pledged the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He instantly built a new home and a lasting bond within his brotherhood.
He is survived by his brothers, Franklin Price Foley (21), a senior at the University of Alabama, and Alexander Gates Foley (16), a junior at Highland Park High School in Dallas, Texas.
A Special Connection to Brent, Alabama
Despite his nomadic childhood, Harper found a deeply rooted home in Brent, Alabama, at the house of his maternal grandparents, Judge James Mordecai White and Katherine Moseley White.
There, he and his cousins created irreplaceable memories:
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Riding in his granddaddy’s Kubota
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Target shooting with his grandmama
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Spending endless hours fishing and swimming
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Developing his love for the Crimson Tide
Services and Visitation
Visitation will be held on Saturday, August 29, 2026, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Brent Baptist Church, 2446 Main Street, Brent, Alabama. A Celebration of Life service will immediately follow at 11:00 a.m. , with the Reverend Dr. Jim Smith officiating. Burial will follow the service at Brent City Cemetery, 166 Middlebrooks Street, Brent, Alabama.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Harper Foley?
Harper Foley was a 19-year-old University of Alabama student from Dallas, Texas, who died on August 23, 2026. He was the son of retired U.S. Army Brigadier General David Clifford Foley and Claire White Foley, and a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.
What happened to Harper Foley?
Harper Foley died on August 23, 2026, following a brief health issue. The specific cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.
Where did Harper Foley go to high school?
Harper graduated from Lansing High School in Kansas in 2025.
Who are Harper Foley’s family members?
Harper is survived by his parents, retired U.S. Army Brigadier General David Clifford Foley and Claire White Foley; his brothers, Franklin Price Foley and Alexander Gates Foley; his paternal grandparents, retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General Robert Franklin Foley and Julie Teresa Foley; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.
When and where are Harper Foley’s services?
Visitation will be held on August 29, 2026, at Brent Baptist Church in Brent, Alabama, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., followed by a Celebration of Life service at 11:00 a.m. and burial at Brent City Cemetery.
What was Harper Foley’s connection to Brent, Alabama?
Harper’s maternal grandparents lived in Brent, Alabama, where he spent idyllic summers creating memories with his cousins. He developed a deep love for the Crimson Tide and the Alabama community.
Conclusion
Harper Foley lived a life defined by resilience, adaptability, and love. As a military child, he moved more times than most people do in a lifetime, yet he never lost his ability to connect, to build friendships, and to find joy wherever he landed. His soccer cleats, his Crimson Tide pride, and his fraternity brotherhood were constants in a life of change. His family, in their grief, has asked for prayers—and they have received an outpouring of love. Harper will be deeply missed by everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.