Henry Fox Jr.

Henry Hugo Fox, Jr., passed away on Wednesday, April 23, at the age of 95. He was born on January 14, 1913, in Washington, D.C., to Fredrica Swett Fox and Henry Hugo Fox. He and his younger brother, Fred Swett Fox, grew up in St. Louis, Mo., and later moved to Washington, D.C., while still in high school. Mr. Fox entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1929, at age 16; and, after graduating in 1933 with a degree in Petroleum Engineering, became a Lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserves. He accepted a job with Shell Oil Company as a petroleum engineer, and spent the next three years in the Middle East (Persia). In 1936, while still with Shell Oil, Mr. Fox returned to the United States to work at the Shell Oil refinery near Arkansas City, Kan., where he met Eleanor Louise Ambrose. They were married on December 11, 1937, in Arkansas City, and later had two daughters, Ann Elizabeth and Jane Louise. Mr. Fox was recalled to active duty prior to WW II, entered the service as a Lieutenant, USN, and spent 1941 to 1945, again in the Middle East, procuring oil for the Allies. On D-Day, June 4, 1944, he recalled flying from Abadan, Iran, to London. He noted the plane flew up over the North Pole before heading south to London, since the English Channel was "off limits" to regular air flights. Mr. Fox remained on active duty until he retired in 1961 as a Commander in the U.S. Navy. During those years, he and his family moved from coast to coast, as he was stationed at naval and military facilities in Washington, D.C., as well as several cities in Virginia and California. While in Norfolk, Va., he served on the SACLANT Staff (a part of NATO) and traveled extensively in Europe from 1956 to 1961. Leaving the Navy in 1961, Mr. Fox and his family moved to San Marino, Calif., where he was employed by Tidewater Oil Company in Los Angeles. Following Phillips Petroleum's buyout of several departments of Tidewater Oil, which included the computer facilities where Mr. Fox worked, the Foxes moved to Bartlesville, Okla., in 1970. Mr. Fox then worked for Phillips until retiring in 1978. Mr. and Mrs. Fox enjoyed their life and friends in Bartlesville and were active volunteers at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, and in the community. In 2003, the Foxes moved into Green Country Assisted Living and, after Eleanor Fox passed away in 2005, Mr. Fox moved to Heritage Villa Nursing Center. Henry Hugo Fox, Jr. and Eleanor Louise Ambrose Fox will rest in peace in the Columbarium at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. Survivors include two daughters, Ann Fox Harrison, of Fairfax, Va., and Jane Fox Regan, of Carlsbad, Calif.; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Private family services for Mr. Fox will be held at a latter date. Services are under the direction of the Neekamp-Luginbuel Funeral Home. Online condolences may be left at www.honoringmemories.com.

Service Details

Private Family Services