Amherst, David James Foulis, 87, died peacefully at the Holyoke Medical Center on April 3, 2018. He lost his loving wife of 40 years, Hyla (Gold) Foulis on December 22, 2017. He is survived by his brother James and wife Mary; sons David, Dean, and Scott and their wives Michelle (Schwerdt), Jill Martyn, and Jill (Moscicki); nephew James and wife Elvie; nieces Carol (Foulis) and husband Bill Coffman, Hollis Coblentz, Hope Coblentz, Rebecca Gold and husband James Wood, and Miriam Gold and husband Richard Van Le; and grandchildren Rose, Grace, Chelsea, Evan, and Colin. He was predeceased by nephew Joshua Gold.

Dave was born in Hinsdale, IL, to James Ronald and Jeanne Mae (Merritt) Foulis. He lived in Illinois until he was 15, when he moved to South Miami Beach, FL, graduating from Ponce de Leon High School. Although he was born into a family of professional golfers, Dave decided that science and mathematics were his calling, earning a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Miami in 1952, a master’s in mathematics from the University of Miami in 1953, and a PhD in mathematics from Tulane University in 1958.

Dave was a professor of mathematics at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst for 32 years, helping to build the graduate mathematics program, and retiring in 1997. During his career, he published seven undergraduate mathematics textbooks, many with co-author Mustafa A. Munem. Retirement did not slow Dave’s research and publishing; he went on to author and co-author more than 50 papers.

Douglass Funeral Home in Amherst is handling arrangements. There will be a graveside service for both Dave and Hyla at Wildwood Cemetery, 70 Strong Street, Amherst, MA, on Monday, May 21, at noon.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Dave’s name to the Wounded Warrior Project.