Raymond J. Fox Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Raymond J. Fox of Mesick passed away Friday, April 25, 2014 at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City. He was 92. He was born October 14, 1921 in Schoolcraft, Michigan to Clint and Hazel (Hoseit) Fox the second child of seven. He grew up in the Mesick area, Wexford Township, most of his younger years, attending a one room school house one half mile North from the homestead, attending through the eighth grade. The family raised cattle and horses. They broke horses from out West to be used as teams for farming. He always loved horses and had a love of watching all Western television shows and movies; they brought back many memories. Ray served in the United States Army during World War II and had been stationed in the Philippines and Japan. He was a mechanic and became a MP. He and his brother, Paul, joined the Army together on December 6, 1944 and were in the same unit until the Army separated family members later on. He returned on November 5, 1946 after he was honorably discharged to work on his parents' farm. He later was a mechanic at Weidner Ford Garage in Cadillac for several years in the 1950's before working at Kinney Truck Lines, United Van Lines, in Three Rivers, Michigan, where he traveled all over the United States. The family lived in Marcellus, where his father and other relatives had lived and later moved to Three Rivers. After working there for several years in the 1950's he moved back North purchased a farm of 80 acres he worked with his wife and three sons for many years as a dairy farmer until about 2000, handling beef and still doing so. The farm was a half mile North of where he grew up. He had always wanted to farm and had a passion for it; the farm grew to be larger than 250 acres. He enjoyed being his own boss and worked long hours to provide for his family and succeeded. His handshake was his word. He was a member of the Wexford County Farm Bureau and had traveled to Washington D.C. in 1984 to speak with the members of Congress with the group. He was also a member of the Wexford Township Board of Review for many years until 2012. On June 14, 1952 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Cadillac he married the former Mary L. Hodges and she survives him along with their sons, David R. (Margaret) Fox and Thomas J. Fox all of Mesick; grandsons, Christopher (Paula) Fox and Andrew Fox; great grandson, Nicholas; siblings Oliver Fox, Eva Archambeau, Roy (Beverly) Fox and Carrol Fox; sister in law, Lois Fox and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a son, John Andrew Fox on January 20, 1986 and siblings, Paul Fox and Rachel Rebman. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at the Peterson Funeral Home in Cadillac. Friends may meet the family Tuesday from 5-8 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be at Cornell Cemetery in Wexford Township. Memorial contributions may be made to Webber Heart Center at Munson Medical Center. An online guestbook is available at www.petersonfh.com.

Raymond J. Fox

October 14, 1921 - April 25, 2014