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Richard Fox Obituary
November 1, 1938 - March 1, 2021
Prescott, Arizona - Richard (Dick) Henry Fox (82) passed away from heart failure at home with his children, Helen and Russell Fox, by his side.
Dick was born in Reno, NV to Henry Gahan Fox and Elizabeth Bash Fox, with siblings James G. Fox (of Boston, MA) and Ann Hamilton (deceased). His family lived and worked on a cattle and dairy ranch in Carson Valley, NV from when he was 10 to 17. He graduated from Douglas County High School, went to Carleton College in Northfield, MN on a Union Carbide scholarship, and received a B.A. in Chemistry. Dick married fellow Carleton graduate Sarah C. Hardin in 1961 (deceased 1993). After obtaining his M.S. and Ph.D. in Agricultural Chemistry and Soils from the Univ. of Arizona he lived and worked in Peru and Puerto Rico on USAID tropical soils research projects.
Dick and family moved to State College in 1975 when he joined the Agronomy Department at Penn State. His soil fertility research was partially responsible for a 20% reduction in nitrogen fertilizer use in Pennsylvania, which both increased the profitability for farmers and reduced water pollution. Dick received numerous professional honors and research awards over the course of his career. He retired at the end of 2001 as Professor Emeritus and moved to Prescott, AZ in 2003, with Robin Giles Kendall, his partner since 1997 (she now lives at the MT Morris memory care facility in Prescott). In addition to his children and brother, he is survived by 2 granddaughters, nieces, and a nephew.
Dick enjoyed reading, hiking (he climbed all the highest peaks in the eastern US and in the southwest from Oklahoma through to California), playing squash, and travelling. Over his lifetime, Dick visited all 50 states, all the Canadian provinces and 50 countries.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a nature conservation organization given Dick's love of wilderness.
A virtual memorial service will be hosted via Zoom by the Granite Peak Unitarian Universalist Congregation on March 27, 2021 at 2 p.m. (EDT); please see http://www.prescottuu.org/events-calendar/ closer to the time for details.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Richard Fox
3 Entries
Masume Assaf
March 14, 2021
Dear Helene and Russell, I worked with your dad distantly when we were in Ithaca and your family was in Puerto Rico and years later renewed the friendship when your mother came to the international student office at Penn State. Both of your parents were so proud of you both, and I know you of them. My sincerest condolences.
Masume Assaf
State College, PA
Peter Landschoot
March 14, 2021
Dick was a great teacher and colleague. He trained numerous Agronomy grad students and performed important research that helped many PA farmers. He taught me (and hundreds of others) a lot about soils, for which I am extremely grateful. My deepest sympathies to Helen, Russell, and Robin.
Pamela Bona
March 13, 2021
Helen and Russ, long ago memories, of your mother by our side in the International Office, I am so very sorry to learn of your loss.
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