Gladys Eleanor Fox

Gladys Eleanor Fox, 84, of Roanoke, died peacefully on September 4, 2008, surrounded by her family. Daughter of Eric and Grace Steuerwald Hopkins, Gladys was born in Schenectady, N.Y., on June 6, 1924. She graduated from Mont Pleasant High School and Albany Business College, and was employed in the Public Relations office of General Electric at its Schenectady headquarters. On August 17, 1951, Glad married Edward J. Fox, forging a loving partnership that would shape the rest of her life; the couple recently marking their 57th anniversary.
In her early years, Gladys was active in outdoor sports and a member of the OYKS, a group of young camping enthusiasts who had a lodge in the Adirondacks. She was a skier, hiker, a sturdy camper and enjoyed square dancing. In 1956, she, Ed and their newborn son, Steve, moved to Roanoke with GE, where she and Ed became active at Cave Spring Methodist Church and were devoted dancers in Moonlight Squares. When Smith Mountain Lake opened, the family was among the earliest enthusiasts, maintaining a vacation home ever since. Even after the family was transferred with GE to Charlottesville in 1979, Glad made sure that they continued to make the weekly journey to the lake every summer. During their 22 years in Charlottesville, they were active members of Westminster Presbyterian Church and ardent supporters of the UVA women's basketball team and of the Charlottesville Symphony, before returning to Roanoke in 2001.
Gladys sang in many church choirs throughout her life. She has always been interested in the classics, especially music, coming from a musical family. She will be missed for her gentility, the delight that lit her eyes at beautiful music, classical films and well-crafted prose, her steadfast humanism, sturdy Democratic spirit and the courteous grace that she maintained until the end. Her family will doubtless also be the worse for lack of her fine, essential input in their lives, as her husband will want for the meticulous care with which she attended to every aspect of their family and home.
She is survived by her loving husband Ed; son, Steve and wife, Anne, of Roanoke; son, Drew, of New York City; sister, Betty Heitmann, of Basking Ridge, N.J.; sister, Janet Moore, of Los Gatos, Calif.; brother, Donald Hopkins and wife, Milly, of State College, Pa.; and five grandchildren, Darian Fox and Katie, Hayley, Drew and Graham Grasty, all of Roanoke. Gladys is also survived by 10 nieces and nephews and their children.
A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, September 13, 2008, at Cave Spring United Methodist Church in Roanoke. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Memorial Fund at Cave Spring Methodist Church or the charity of your choice.