Howard W. Fox 1916—2016
Howard W. Fox, 100, of Dodgeville, WI., passed away in the early morning of September 24, 2016, at Crestridge Assisted Living, where he had been living since 2011. Howard was born July 13, 1916, in rural western Kansas (Rozel). His parents (deceased), Arthur Baker Fox and Lou Ida Mae Belle Smith, were wheat farmers in Pawnee County, KS. Howard lived at this farm until he attended Kansas State University one semester right after high school. He married Eunice Erma Haun (deceased) on August 22, 1936, and together they set off the next day for Michigan State University to study forestry. As a youth, Fox had always said he wanted to be a forester despite that there wasn't a tree within 7 miles of where he grew up, except for planted ones around farmsteads. After graduating, Fox spent 2 years as a forester in northern Michigan, then moved to Oregon, IL., to work on a timber production war project with the National Forest Service and the University of Illinois. Fox accepted a job as head forester in 1947 at Sinnissippi Forest in Ogle County, IL., near Oregon, part of the Governor Lowden estate. Sinnissippi Forest was the first tree farm (1948), and the biggest, in Illinois. It is here that he made his life's career and became well-known in the community with his passion for woodworking, nature, travel, service, and helping others. For over three decades, Fox managed all of Sinnissippi Forests's timberland, tree planting, and even released the first turkeys in northern Illinois. He set up Sinnissippi Forest's Christmas tree business; the first Christmas tree was sold in 1948, and the last a few years ago when this part of the business terminated. In addition to managing the business of Sinnissippi Forest and sawmill, Fox was an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois and supervised summer forestry camps at Sinnissippi and conducted forestry research with collaborators at the University of Illinois. Midway through his career, he completed a Master's degree at Northern Illinois University. He was a long-time member of the Society of American Foresters. Fox retired as an active forester in 1976, then did consulting forestry for eight years after that. Fox after retirement also led schoolchildren on hundreds of nature walks, many of them through the Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Camp of Oregon. After retirement, Fox designed and built his house on 8 acres of land at the edge of Sinnissippi Forest given to him by the owner of the forest. Fox built this house largely from lumber of Sinnissippi Forest, from trees he himself had planted years before. In 1992-93, the Lowden grandsons sold much of Sinnissippi Forest to the State of Illinois to create the 2,225-acre Lowden-Miller State Forest. Fox was very active in the Boy Scouts, starting as the founder and scoutmaster of a small troop of boys living at Sinnissippi Farms and vicinity, then as a scout executive in the Blackhawk Area Council of northern Illinois. He was awarded the Silver Beaver Award, a prestigious service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Fox was very active in the Methodist Church in Oregon, and made numerous mission trips to Africa and South America to help build facilities for rural, developing churches. Among other hobbies, Fox was an expert in marquetry, a type of visual art in which pictures are made of inlaid pieces of different colored veneer wood. Fox made hundreds of these unique pieces and selected the particular pieces of veneer to combine harmoniously into usually a scene from nature. He showed his work at various art exhibits, including New York's Museum of Modern Art. He spent many years teaching this craft locally at Rock River Center in Oregon. Fox was the founder of a nature club in Oregon called the Whale Watchers, and together this group (and also the seniors from the Stump Jumpers) made many visits to special places of nature in northern Illinois. Howard and Eunice had four children: Ronald (deceased), Dorothy Martin (of Atwater, CA), Stanley (of Stillwater, OK), and Debra Eide (of Spring Green, WI), 7 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren. Fox's remains have been cremated and a memorial service is planned for later at Oregon, IL. Fox's ashes will be buried in the Larned (KS) Cemetery next to those of his wife Eunice.
Published in Rockford Register Star on Oct. 8, 2016
Howard W. Fox, 100, of Dodgeville, WI., passed away in the early morning of September 24, 2016, at Crestridge Assisted Living, where he had been living since 2011. Howard was born July 13, 1916, in rural western Kansas (Rozel). His parents (deceased), Arthur Baker Fox and Lou Ida Mae Belle Smith, were wheat farmers in Pawnee County, KS. Howard lived at this farm until he attended Kansas State University one semester right after high school. He married Eunice Erma Haun (deceased) on August 22, 1936, and together they set off the next day for Michigan State University to study forestry. As a youth, Fox had always said he wanted to be a forester despite that there wasn't a tree within 7 miles of where he grew up, except for planted ones around farmsteads. After graduating, Fox spent 2 years as a forester in northern Michigan, then moved to Oregon, IL., to work on a timber production war project with the National Forest Service and the University of Illinois. Fox accepted a job as head forester in 1947 at Sinnissippi Forest in Ogle County, IL., near Oregon, part of the Governor Lowden estate. Sinnissippi Forest was the first tree farm (1948), and the biggest, in Illinois. It is here that he made his life's career and became well-known in the community with his passion for woodworking, nature, travel, service, and helping others. For over three decades, Fox managed all of Sinnissippi Forests's timberland, tree planting, and even released the first turkeys in northern Illinois. He set up Sinnissippi Forest's Christmas tree business; the first Christmas tree was sold in 1948, and the last a few years ago when this part of the business terminated. In addition to managing the business of Sinnissippi Forest and sawmill, Fox was an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois and supervised summer forestry camps at Sinnissippi and conducted forestry research with collaborators at the University of Illinois. Midway through his career, he completed a Master's degree at Northern Illinois University. He was a long-time member of the Society of American Foresters. Fox retired as an active forester in 1976, then did consulting forestry for eight years after that. Fox after retirement also led schoolchildren on hundreds of nature walks, many of them through the Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Camp of Oregon. After retirement, Fox designed and built his house on 8 acres of land at the edge of Sinnissippi Forest given to him by the owner of the forest. Fox built this house largely from lumber of Sinnissippi Forest, from trees he himself had planted years before. In 1992-93, the Lowden grandsons sold much of Sinnissippi Forest to the State of Illinois to create the 2,225-acre Lowden-Miller State Forest. Fox was very active in the Boy Scouts, starting as the founder and scoutmaster of a small troop of boys living at Sinnissippi Farms and vicinity, then as a scout executive in the Blackhawk Area Council of northern Illinois. He was awarded the Silver Beaver Award, a prestigious service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Fox was very active in the Methodist Church in Oregon, and made numerous mission trips to Africa and South America to help build facilities for rural, developing churches. Among other hobbies, Fox was an expert in marquetry, a type of visual art in which pictures are made of inlaid pieces of different colored veneer wood. Fox made hundreds of these unique pieces and selected the particular pieces of veneer to combine harmoniously into usually a scene from nature. He showed his work at various art exhibits, including New York's Museum of Modern Art. He spent many years teaching this craft locally at Rock River Center in Oregon. Fox was the founder of a nature club in Oregon called the Whale Watchers, and together this group (and also the seniors from the Stump Jumpers) made many visits to special places of nature in northern Illinois. Howard and Eunice had four children: Ronald (deceased), Dorothy Martin (of Atwater, CA), Stanley (of Stillwater, OK), and Debra Eide (of Spring Green, WI), 7 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren. Fox's remains have been cremated and a memorial service is planned for later at Oregon, IL. Fox's ashes will be buried in the Larned (KS) Cemetery next to those of his wife Eunice.
Published in Rockford Register Star on Oct. 8, 2016
Howard W. Fox 1916—2016
Howard W. Fox, 100, of Dodgeville, WI., passed away in the early morning of September 24, 2016, at Crestridge Assisted Living, where he had been living since 2011. Howard was born July 13, 1916, in rural western Kansas (Rozel). His parents (deceased), Arthur Baker Fox and Lou Ida Mae Belle Smith, were wheat farmers in Pawnee County, KS. Howard lived at this farm until he attended Kansas State University one semester right after high school. He married Eunice Erma Haun (deceased) on August 22, 1936, and together they set off the next day for Michigan State University to study forestry. As a youth, Fox had always said he wanted to be a forester despite that there wasn't a tree within 7 miles of where he grew up, except for planted ones around farmsteads. After graduating, Fox spent 2 years as a forester in northern Michigan, then moved to Oregon, IL., to work on a timber production war project with the National Forest Service and the University of Illinois. Fox accepted a job as head forester in 1947 at Sinnissippi Forest in Ogle County, IL., near Oregon, part of the Governor Lowden estate. Sinnissippi Forest was the first tree farm (1948), and the biggest, in Illinois. It is here that he made his life's career and became well-known in the community with his passion for woodworking, nature, travel, service, and helping others. For over three decades, Fox managed all of Sinnissippi Forests's timberland, tree planting, and even released the first turkeys in northern Illinois. He set up Sinnissippi Forest's Christmas tree business; the first Christmas tree was sold in 1948, and the last a few years ago when this part of the business terminated. In addition to managing the business of Sinnissippi Forest and sawmill, Fox was an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois and supervised summer forestry camps at Sinnissippi and conducted forestry research with collaborators at the University of Illinois. Midway through his career, he completed a Master's degree at Northern Illinois University. He was a long-time member of the Society of American Foresters. Fox retired as an active forester in 1976, then did consulting forestry for eight years after that. Fox after retirement also led schoolchildren on hundreds of nature walks, many of them through the Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Camp of Oregon. After retirement, Fox designed and built his house on 8 acres of land at the edge of Sinnissippi Forest given to him by the owner of the forest. Fox built this house largely from lumber of Sinnissippi Forest, from trees he himself had planted years before. In 1992-93, the Lowden grandsons sold much of Sinnissippi Forest to the State of Illinois to create the 2,225-acre Lowden-Miller State Forest. Fox was very active in the Boy Scouts, starting as the founder and scoutmaster of a small troop of boys living at Sinnissippi Farms and vicinity, then as a scout executive in the Blackhawk Area Council of northern Illinois. He was awarded the Silver Beaver Award, a prestigious service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Fox was very active in the Methodist Church in Oregon, and made numerous mission trips to Africa and South America to help build facilities for rural, developing churches. Among other hobbies, Fox was an expert in marquetry, a type of visual art in which pictures are made of inlaid pieces of different colored veneer wood. Fox made hundreds of these unique pieces and selected the particular pieces of veneer to combine harmoniously into usually a scene from nature. He showed his work at various art exhibits, including New York's Museum of Modern Art. He spent many years teaching this craft locally at Rock River Center in Oregon. Fox was the founder of a nature club in Oregon called the Whale Watchers, and together this group (and also the seniors from the Stump Jumpers) made many visits to special places of nature in northern Illinois. Howard and Eunice had four children: Ronald (deceased), Dorothy Martin (of Atwater, CA), Stanley (of Stillwater, OK), and Debra Eide (of Spring Green, WI), 7 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren. Fox's remains have been cremated and a memorial service is planned for later at Oregon, IL. Fox's ashes will be buried in the Larned (KS) Cemetery next to those of his wife Eunice.
Published in Rockford Register Star on Oct. 8, 2016
Howard W. Fox, 100, of Dodgeville, WI., passed away in the early morning of September 24, 2016, at Crestridge Assisted Living, where he had been living since 2011. Howard was born July 13, 1916, in rural western Kansas (Rozel). His parents (deceased), Arthur Baker Fox and Lou Ida Mae Belle Smith, were wheat farmers in Pawnee County, KS. Howard lived at this farm until he attended Kansas State University one semester right after high school. He married Eunice Erma Haun (deceased) on August 22, 1936, and together they set off the next day for Michigan State University to study forestry. As a youth, Fox had always said he wanted to be a forester despite that there wasn't a tree within 7 miles of where he grew up, except for planted ones around farmsteads. After graduating, Fox spent 2 years as a forester in northern Michigan, then moved to Oregon, IL., to work on a timber production war project with the National Forest Service and the University of Illinois. Fox accepted a job as head forester in 1947 at Sinnissippi Forest in Ogle County, IL., near Oregon, part of the Governor Lowden estate. Sinnissippi Forest was the first tree farm (1948), and the biggest, in Illinois. It is here that he made his life's career and became well-known in the community with his passion for woodworking, nature, travel, service, and helping others. For over three decades, Fox managed all of Sinnissippi Forests's timberland, tree planting, and even released the first turkeys in northern Illinois. He set up Sinnissippi Forest's Christmas tree business; the first Christmas tree was sold in 1948, and the last a few years ago when this part of the business terminated. In addition to managing the business of Sinnissippi Forest and sawmill, Fox was an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois and supervised summer forestry camps at Sinnissippi and conducted forestry research with collaborators at the University of Illinois. Midway through his career, he completed a Master's degree at Northern Illinois University. He was a long-time member of the Society of American Foresters. Fox retired as an active forester in 1976, then did consulting forestry for eight years after that. Fox after retirement also led schoolchildren on hundreds of nature walks, many of them through the Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Camp of Oregon. After retirement, Fox designed and built his house on 8 acres of land at the edge of Sinnissippi Forest given to him by the owner of the forest. Fox built this house largely from lumber of Sinnissippi Forest, from trees he himself had planted years before. In 1992-93, the Lowden grandsons sold much of Sinnissippi Forest to the State of Illinois to create the 2,225-acre Lowden-Miller State Forest. Fox was very active in the Boy Scouts, starting as the founder and scoutmaster of a small troop of boys living at Sinnissippi Farms and vicinity, then as a scout executive in the Blackhawk Area Council of northern Illinois. He was awarded the Silver Beaver Award, a prestigious service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Fox was very active in the Methodist Church in Oregon, and made numerous mission trips to Africa and South America to help build facilities for rural, developing churches. Among other hobbies, Fox was an expert in marquetry, a type of visual art in which pictures are made of inlaid pieces of different colored veneer wood. Fox made hundreds of these unique pieces and selected the particular pieces of veneer to combine harmoniously into usually a scene from nature. He showed his work at various art exhibits, including New York's Museum of Modern Art. He spent many years teaching this craft locally at Rock River Center in Oregon. Fox was the founder of a nature club in Oregon called the Whale Watchers, and together this group (and also the seniors from the Stump Jumpers) made many visits to special places of nature in northern Illinois. Howard and Eunice had four children: Ronald (deceased), Dorothy Martin (of Atwater, CA), Stanley (of Stillwater, OK), and Debra Eide (of Spring Green, WI), 7 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren. Fox's remains have been cremated and a memorial service is planned for later at Oregon, IL. Fox's ashes will be buried in the Larned (KS) Cemetery next to those of his wife Eunice.
Published in Rockford Register Star on Oct. 8, 2016
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