John Milton Fogg

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John Fogg Obituary

John Milton Fogg, born on November 19, 1915 reunited in heaven with his wife, Louise; son, Johnny; and daughter, Connie, on July 29, 2006. A man for all seasons, he attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute, managed the production of agriculture and livestock on the family farm, developed a much sought-after mastery of fine carpentry, sang in a beautiful tenor voice both in the Mt. Zion Baptist Church choir and in smaller ensembles, shared the depth of his Christian faith and love as he taught in Sunday School and served as a church deacon, and inspired everyone who had the privilege to know him with his unparalleled integrity, reliability, patience and self-control. An avid outdoorsman, he shared without reservation his love of hunting, fishing and gardening with anyone who expressd an interest. A member of the Dunbrooke Hunt Club, he provided open access to his property for the hunting and fishing enjoyment of fellow club members and friends alike. Most of all, he set the standard as a husband and father, demonstrating Christ-like love, faith, patience and humility every day of his life. He was one of a kind and his character and memory will endure for years to come in the hearts and minds of those whose lives he touched. He is survived by two daughters, Pat Martin and Robin Doney; six grandchildren, Cynthia Broughman, Richard Martin, Bruce Gallahan, Valerie Regan, Allison Daniels and John Gallahan; and 12 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday in the Marks-Bristow Funeral Home in Tappahannock, Va. Interment will follow in Mt. Zion Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 3 to 5 p.m. this afternoon at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorial donations be made to Mt. Zion Baptist Church.

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Published by Richmond Times-Dispatch on Jul. 30, 2006.

Memories and Condolences
for John Fogg

3 Entries

Craig Corson

July 31, 2006

John Milton Fogg, My Friend and Neighbor

Eulogy by Craig Corson

Almost 28 years ago, my wife Cathy and I moved to Essex County. While living in Richmond we had barely known the people next door. It didn’t take Louise long to send John Milton over with something delicious from her kitchen and it didn’t take us long to learn that now we had neighbors. We soon met our other neighbors: his sister Mary and her husband Ernest Jones and again we were delighted. Though the two of us had been born and raised in Newport News, I knew these people. They were just like the neighbors in the small fishing village where my father grew up and from the community where my mother was raised on a tobacco farm.

In the 1980’s, Cathy and I began raising dairy goats, hoping one day to make and sell cheese. I sought advice from John Milton and he was an immense help, even when it came a little late, like when I was proudly showing him my newly fenced pasture and he pointed out that I had put the braces for the corner posts in slanting the wrong way. “They’re gonna pop out of the ground come a hard freeze”, he explained. So back to work I went.

He loaned me his equipment, would never take a cent for it and refused to let me pay when I hit a stump with his bush hog and broke the shaft in two. I should add that he did allow me to assist in its repair. He sold me his manure spreader for the grand sum of ten dollars. He took me rabbit hunting, brought us rabbits and a turkey from his hunts and always shared tales of his days in the woods.

When Cathy sent me over to his house with some cheesecake made from our goats’ milk, Louise was kind enough to sing its praises and then send John Milton over to our house several times in the following weeks with ten times the food that I had delivered—and again, it was all scrumptious.

When he broke his hip last year (while tilling his garden at 89), I decided to try and give a little back and help him with his recovery. My father, who is five years younger than John Milton, has had both knees replaced and a shoulder, my mother one knee, and I knew that without rehab a broken hip could leave a man of his age bedridden. I soon found out that what I thought he needed and what he wanted were two very different things. In one short year I became a handyman, an apprentice carpenter, rabbit beagle trainer, chauffeur, gardener and, most important, a friend. Long after his hip healed, I kept showing up to spend the first few hours of the morning with him, sharing breakfast and the prior day’s events, undercooking his oatmeal and his fried eggs. (I think the scrambled ones were okay.)

He had an incredible memory. He told me tales of his childhood, of his family and friends, of working on the farm and in his father’s sawmill, of carpentry, of hunting (of course), of his grand times playing checkers, of singing with Louise and the rest of his family and his friends, and of his church and of his faith.

John Milton suffered several great losses in his life: the tragic accident that took his son Johnny from him and the deaths of his daughter Connie and his beloved Louise. I think in some small way I reminded him of his son and I took great pride in that. He received tremendous support from his daughters Pat and Robin and kept me up to date on their activities. His grandchildren and great-grandchildren I saw first on the door of his refrigerator—right next to pictures of his son-in-law Dick and some huge rock fish that he apparently paid to have his picture taken with.

Even as advancing age took from him the things that he had enjoyed the most and he was frustrated by his inability to do things, he remained comforted by his faith and his belief that he would, when the time was right, join his Johnny, Connie and Louise in a better place.

He taught me more than I can tell you. He made me laugh. He made me feel young and inexperienced. I admired his honesty and his frankness, coupled with his desire to never hurt anyone’s feelings. He was, I believe, the definition of a Southern Gentleman. I loved him and with all of you, I will miss him.

anne [moore] sweeney

July 31, 2006

sorry to hear about the death of john i knew him and all the family when i was a chilld and living at st.stephen church va he was a very niceand caring person my father ran sowers mill my name is annewith christian love anne [moore sweeney] i am the late james moore sister may god keep you and the family in his care

Alice Temple Charnock Seward

July 31, 2006

Dear Pat,

I would like to express my deepest sympathy to you on the homegoing of your Dad - I well remember the good times we shared at your home when we were in first grade !

May God give you His peace and comfort for the days ahead -

Alice Temple Charnock Seward

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