Lily C. (Bistany) Foley, of Milton, died on Nov. 23, after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Born in Boston and raised in the city’s South End and Brighton neighborhoods, she was a graduate of Brighton High School and Boston State College.

Upon graduating college with a degree in education, she taught English at the Gavin Middle School in South Boston.

She left teaching to raise her two sons and later re-entered the workforce as a social worker with the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance, where she worked for over 20 years.

She retired in 2002, and in 2006 she was elated to become a “Gaga” to her grandson Michael.

She spent much of her time at the Milton home of her son Robert and his wife Rita, where she quickly became Michael’s best friend, and was well known as “Mikey’s Gaga” to the neighborhood children.

In addition to her son and his family, she is survived by her siblings and their spouses, Ann and William Tutterman, of Milton, Ann Foley, of Dedham, William and Julia Lane, of Dedham, and Judy and John Foley, of Scituate; her nieces and nephews and their spouses, Sharon Lane, of Dedham, Nadia and William Lane Jr., of Dedham, Donna and Andy Camiolo, of Canton, Shawn Lane, of Medford, and Michael and Margit Foley, of Hingham; seven grandnieces and nephews; and her husband, Martin V. Foley, of Falmouth.

She was the mother of the late James M. Foley; daughter of the late Zicky and Mary (Tahan) Bistany; and sister of the late Chester Bistany.

A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated in St. Agatha Church on Dec. 1.