Lucy Foyt (pictured above, in sunglasses and red dress), wife of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J. Foyt, passed away April 5 in a Houston hospital after a brief illness. She was 84.
Lucy had a special appreciation for life, always embracing new experiences, people and challenges. There was never a dull moment being married to the auto racing legend. For nearly 68 years of marriage, Lucy was A.J.’s rock, keeping him grounded as he ascended to superstardom in motorsports. Her steadfast support and amazing grace under pressure throughout A.J.’s career and post-career, which was marked by life-threatening injuries on several occasions, made it possible for him to stage the remarkable comebacks that added to his legendary status.
“I have known A.J. and Lucy Foyt nearly as long as I have been involved in racing,” Roger Penske said. “So much of A.J.’s racing success was rooted in the solid foundation of the love and support that Lucy provided for him throughout his career.
“Racing can be a tough business, and A.J. was not immune to the dangers drivers often face. It was Lucy who was always there to help A.J. navigate through the hard times and get him back to his winning ways. Most importantly, Lucy’s commitment to the Foyt family is her biggest legacy. Keeping the family connected allowed A.J. to focus on being one of the greatest race car drivers of all time. I truly believe that it would have been hard for A.J. to achieve all of his on-track success without Lucy.
“Our prayers and condolences are with A.J. and the entire Foyt family.”
Houston was always home to Lucy, having been born in 1938 to beloved parents, Dr. L. Lynn Zarr and Elizabeth Zarr, and raised in River Oaks, a prominent enclave of the nation’s fourth-largest city. During her time at Lamar High School, Lucy met Foyt, and the two married in 1955, further laying their roots in the Houston community.
Together, A.J. and Lucy raised three children, A.J. Foyt III, Terry and Jerry. Later on, they adopted their grandson Larry, who is president of A.J. Foyt Enterprises, the INDYCAR SERIES team Foyt started in late 1965.
Always seen as beautiful and gracious, Lucy bonded three generations of the Foyt family, with four children, eight grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren who adored her. She watched them grow to achieve success, marry for love and raise children, many of which are named after her with the most recent being Larry’s daughter, Lucy, who was born in January.
With a passion for culture, arts, and global travel, Lucy shared a broadened perspective and open mind about the world that motivated and inspired adventure to those around her. That legacy will live on through her family and influence more generations of Foyts to come.
With careful thought and consideration, funeral arrangements are pending.