Joseph Fox, Jr.

Joseph P. Fox, Jr., 94, passed away Wednesday, April 1, 2015. Service: 11:00 A.M. Saturday at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1313 SE Parkway, Azle, 76020. Interment: Brethern Cemetery in Dallas Center, IA. Visitation: will be held one hour prior to the service. Joseph was born June 8, 1920 in Stuart, Iowa to Joseph Priestly Fox, Sr. and Henrietta Ernestine Burns Fox. After Pearl Harbor he taught flying as a civilian instructor. He married Barbara Marie Swift in March of 1944 in Perry, IA. He graduated in 1949 from Iowa State and was hired by Caterpillar, Inc. in Peoria, Ill. He joined Cessna Aircraft in Wichita, KS. in 1964. Joe flew around Africa in a Cessna calling on dealers and customers. Joe accepted the job of Sales Mgr. at Holt Bros. in Stockton, Calif. He rejoined Caterpillar Inc. in 1973. Joe was responsible for innovations such as the Variable Horsepower Tractor and the Agricultural Tractor. He retired in 1987. Joe's lifelong love, besides his family and Cat., was Aviation. He and Barbara made many cross country trips in his Cessna 180. Joe flew to Alaska in 1995 and 2000. He was a member of the Peoria Experimental Aircraft Assoc. at Mt Hawley Airport and missed very few EAA fly-ins at Oshkosh, WI. the last being attended in 2014. He was also a member of Quiet Birdmen. After Barbara passed in 2004, Joe married Valerie McInnis of Azle in 2006. They spent 9 years together surrounded by Valerie's large, loving family. They traveled the world together going to England twice, Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand plus multiple visits back to Morton, Ill. where Joe kept his house. Joe knew no strangers only friends he had not yet met. He will be dearly missed by his family and many friends. Survivors: Wife, Valerie Fox; children, David Joseph Fox and wife, Rhonda; daughter, Meredith Lynn Fox Bradley and husband, John Tidwell; grandchildren, Gregory Phelps and Shannon Fox; and a host of extended family and friends.