Richard "Dick" Burton Fox

Graveside rites will be held Saturday, July 28, 2018 at 3pm at Mountain View Cemetery on the Longmont diagonal, Boulder, Colorado. All are welcome. Interment services for him and his wife will be conducted by Jerry Motley, officiant.

Dick was born and raised on the family farm near Montrose, Illinois on February, 26, 1924 to Eva Vaughn Fox and George Chapman Fox. In 1930, the family moved from Montrose, Illinois to Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Where he attended all schools and graduated from Bartlesville College High School in May of 1942.

In 1942, he joined the Army Air Corp - five months after the beginning of WWII. In 1943, he won his wings as aerial navigator and was commissioned as 2nd lieutenant. In April 1944, he completed combat crew training and B-17 flying fortresses training (in Rapid City, South Dakota). He was stationed at Nuthampstead airfield in England with the 398th bomb group of the 8th Air Force. He flew his first mission in May and went on to complete a combat tour of 33 missions and was decorated with the distinguished flying cross. After the war ended, he elected to stay overseas as a navigation-briefing officer for replacement crews to various bases. Later, he transferred to Italy and was assigned as navigator-co-pilot with the personal crew of Lt. General John C.H. Lee, the commanding lieutenant general of the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations.

On May 10, 1944, he met Ellen (Nell) Kennedy, who was serving in the Women’s Royal Naval Service (officially known as the Wrens). She was trained at Bletchley Park and stationed at Stanmore, northwest of London where she was a decoder for the Enigma project and knew the famous computer scientist Alan Turing.

In 1946, Dick married Nell in her hometown of South Shields, England. They lived in Italy until they returned to the states in 1947, where Dick was briefly assigned to the Strategic Air Command flying B-29 Superfortresses. In 1948, he attended pilot training at Randolph Field in Texas and graduated as a jet fighter pilot and assigned to a reconnaissance fighter squadron.

In 1950, after serving over seven years in the military he returned to civilian life and attended the University of Oklahoma where he earned 2 degrees - Geological Engineering and Petroleum Engineering. In 1955, upon graduation he joined Phillips Petroleum Company, and worked in various locations, the North Sea and off the coast of Ireland; and in the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, and Colorado.

In 1969, he and his wife Nell and their eight children permanently settled in Boulder, Colorado. In 1985, Dick retired from Phillips Petroleum Company after 31 years. Then, he worked for the National Pride Company as the Exploration and Production Manager until 1989 and then retired permanently. While his wife, Nell continued to work at Ball Brothers Aerospace.

In 1996, his beloved wife, Nell passed away. To fill his time after her passing, he traveled overseas visiting his wife’s relatives in Britain and Dubai. He made several trips to Europe, touring WWII points of interest in England, France, and Italy. He attended the D-day 60th Anniversary remembrance and toured the beaches of Normandy, France. Frequently, he attended the 398th Bomb Group reunions. He always loved Colorado and spent time fishing, taking drives in the mountains, and gambling in Central City and Blackhawk.

He is preceded in death by his parents and

four siblings George Fox, Jr.; William Fox, Gladys Fox Willis, Phyllis Fox Lawson. He remained close to Denis Lawson (brother-in-law, Surprise, Arizona).

He is survived by his eight children:

Michele Melaney of Anchorage, Alaska; Alice Gottschling of Boulder, Colorado; Richard J. Fox of Boulder, Colorado; Jonell Sauceda of Anchorage, Alaska; Annabelle Wilt of Anchorage, Alaska; Eve Fox of Anchorage, Alaska; G. Fox of Bellevue, Washington; and Margaret Stephens of Fountain Hills, Arizona; Sons-in-law; Tom Melaney, Karl Gottschling, James Sauceda, Sinclair Wilt, D. Nelson, Jeffrey Stephens.

10 grandchildren:

Adam Melaney, Karla Gottschling Motley, Kari Gottschling Griffith, Sabrina Wilt, Andrea Wilt Duncan, Colleen Wilt Moran, Hallidie Wilt, B. Nelson, Sylvie Stephens, Elise Stephens;

9 great-grandchildren:

Anna Motley, Bo Motley, Wade Griffith, Kenna Griffith, Versailles Wilt Jones, Charles Sinclair Moran, Andrew Moran, Kennedy Duncan, Fiona Moore.

Dick had an adventurous spirit and enjoyed sharing his life’s stories with everyone. He was very kind hearted to all and had a wonderful boyish sense of humor. He cherished his friendships with all of his longtime neighbors, Dave, Marj, Susan, and Beverly.

He remained close to his wife’s family, Joseph Kennedy (brother-in-law), and Albert Kennedy (brother-in-law); Sharon Brenen (niece); Gillian Jobson (niece). Cousins: Brian Whitfield, Joan Whitfield Meeks, Helen Whitfield-Miocic, and Michelle Carr Chilley.

Also, he remained close to Sue Fox, Bill, Jr., Mike, and Larry Fox.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Disabled American Veterans or the Denver Rescue Mission.