Gordon Fox
Gordon Meredith Fox of Reno, Nev., passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023, at the age of 91.
He was born April 4, 1932, to George and Elizabeth Mae Fox in Arnegard, N.D. He attended school in Watford City, N.D., graduating from Watford City High School in 1950. After graduation, he followed in the footsteps of his father and two older brothers and enlisted in the Navy. After four years of service, he returned to his hometown and started his career in the dairy business at the Watford City Creamery. In 1961 he married Dorothy Sanders, and in 1968 they moved to Reno and built their life there. In 1970, they were blessed with their daughter, Jane. While in Reno, Gordon worked for Model Dairy, retiring in 1994.
Being raised on a farm instilled a love of gardening in Gordon. He was an avid gardener and enjoyed planting flowers and a vegetable garden full of tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, and anything else you can imagine annually. In his later years, he moved into Five Star Senior Residences where he transformed little-used courtyard into a thriving community garden with a variety flowers, tomatoes, raised planters, two fountains, and sitting areas for the residents. He loved building and tending to the garden as well as sharing the gardening tasks and multitude of tomatoes with those who live and work there. The residents named the garden “Gordon’s Secret Garden.”
Gordon lived his life with grace and a tender heart. He always had a sweet smile, a kind word, and was happy to lend a hand to others. He was generous with his time and resources, regularly donating to national and local charities. He made friends wherever he went and quietly and unknowingly impacted the lives of many people by simply being his true, authentic self. He instilled these qualities in both his daughter and grandson through his love and constant demonstrations of kindness and generosity.
Above all, Gordon cherished the times spent with his daughter and grandson. His treasured memories from the past few years included weekly family dinners followed by watching his favorite teams - the San Francisco 49ers and Giants, many fishing trips, and vacationing and seeing family in North Dakota and Texas. He adored his grandson Nate and was thrilled when Nate and Jane moved to Reno from Boston in 2021.
Gordon was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Fox; and his brothers, Lloyd Fox and Charles Fox. He is survived by his daughter, Jane Fox and grandson, Nate Fox both of Reno; as well as his sister, Darlene Simmons of Plano, Texas.
A funeral mass will be held Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, at 12 noon at Saint Alberts the Great Catholic Church in Reno, Nev., with a reception to follow at Walton’s Funeral Home in Sparks.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in his name to his favorite charity - Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital - www.stjude.org