Former Foley Mayor John Koniar dies
Former Foley Mayor John Koniar dies
John Koniar, a longtime community leader who served as Foley mayor and a City Council member for 40 years, died Saturday, March 22, at his home in Foley.
Koniar was elected to the Foley City Council in 1980 and served until 2006. He served as president pro tem of the council from 1996 until 2006, when he was appointed mayor. He was elected to the office of mayor three times, serving until 2020.
He graduated from Murphy High School in 1961. He attended the University of Alabama and earned a degree in Industrial Engineering in 1965.
He married his beloved Linda Sue Lee on July 2, 1966. On Sept. 1, 1965 he entered active duty in the United States Air Force as a 2nd lieutenant. He served as a forward observer in Korea and was honorably discharged on Aug. 30, 1969 as a captain.
In 1971, he joined Vulcan, Inc. and settled with his family in Foley, where they had their daughter, Mell. After 37 years of employment, John retired from Vulcan as a vice president of sales.
During his time as mayor, Koniar oversaw unprecedented growth while providing strong and steady leadership. Among his many accomplishments, his favorites included the South Baldwi Chamber of Commerce’s Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival, Foley Railroad Museum, OWA Amusement Park, the pedestrian bridge, Graham Creek Nature Preserve, Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermans Market, the Foley Event Center and the expansion of Sports Tourism. He also served on the Riviera Utilities Board for 14 years.
Another true joy for Koniar was his love of Christmas in Foley. He was beyond proud of how beautiful the city was during the season of Santa. He adored seeing the children enjoy the glow of the lights and wonderment of Christmas.
A day did not go by without him bragging about those who represented the city with their best. His philosophy was to not micromanage but to let them do their jobs—which they all did so well. He always said how blessed this community was because of its employees and was honored to serve alongside every one of them.
A devout Christian, he attended the First Presbyterian Church in Foley where he served on the Session. Many will fondly remember him for his razor-sharp wit and one-liners. John also enjoyed travelling, photography, great wine, family dogs, and probably most of all, his beloved Crimson Tide.