DR. DAVID BENEDICT FOX

Dr. David Benedict Fox - a World War II veteran who lived, raised his family and practiced dentistry in Memphis before moving to Nashville late in his life, died Sunday, March 18, at his home at Richland Place after a brief illness. He was 89. Known to friends and family as "Big D," Dr. Fox was born in College Park, GA on August 6, 1922. He lived with his family in Atlanta and Ferguson, MO before moving to Memphis when he was 14. He attended St. John's Episcopal Church, Snowden Junior High School and Central High School, where he was an All-Memphis center on the football team in 1939. He attended the University of the South at Sewanee for one year, then transferred to the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, before enlisting in the United States Army Air Corps in 1942. He became a pilot, flying the P-47 Thunderbolt, and was assigned to the 391st Squadron of the 366th Fighting Group. He entered action the day before his 22nd birthday, and flew 95 missions, survived numerous attacks and shot down two German aircraft, including an Arado Ar 234, the world’s first jet bomber and one of the first German jets downed in World War II. He was highly decorated for his war service. He left the European theater in May 1945 after the German surrender with the rank of Captain. He returned to Memphis, where he married Sallie Sherman Moore Fox. They had four children and remained married for 54 years. He also received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Tennessee Medical School, and began his career as a dentist. After Sallie’s death in 2001, Dr. Fox remarried Jean Campbell Fox. They were married until Jean's death, and in 2006, Dr. Fox moved to Nashville to be close to his children. He was a resident of Richland Place for the past five years. He was preceded in death by his wives, Sallie and Jean, his daughter Jeannie and his brother Cress. He is survived by his children David Jr. (Elizabeth), Anne Ross and Howard, all of Nashville, six grandchildren, Cal and Howard Fox Jr. of Nashville, Christa Ross of Portland, OR, Lucy, Leigh and Amelia Fox of Nashville, his sister Jean Clippard of Nashville, brother Ted (Jane) Fox of Hot Springs, AR, sister-in-law Fredrika Stevenson of Memphis, and many nieces and nephews, all of whom loved and will miss Big D. Services will be at St. David's Episcopal Church in Nashville on Friday, March 23, 2012 at 11 a.m. with visitation one hour prior to service. Burial will take place in Memphis on Saturday, March 24, 2012, with visitation at Memorial Park Funeral Home in Memphis from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. with a graveside service to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to the Memphis Inter-Faith Association (MIFA), 910 Vance Ave., Memphis, TN, 38126, and the Center for Living and Learning, 1979 Old Hillsboro Road, Franklin, TN, 37064. Marshall-Donnelly-Combs Funeral Home (615)327-1111