Steven Mills Fox

Steve was born March 21, 1942 to Elizabeth Louise Mills and Norman Fox, III in Bryn Mawr, PA. He grew up in Bethlehem, PA and went on to study European History and major in Spanish and German at Gettysburg College, graduating in 1964. He spent his junior year abroad studying at the Wagner Institute in Bregenz, Austria on Lake Zurich.

Steve served 2 years in the Army, including a tour in Vietnam. He returned to PA and worked in the bar business.

In 1977 Steve moved to the Monterey Peninsula and eventually found himself taking care of friends dying from AIDS. He volunteered with MCAP and John XXII AIDS ministry as a companion to those with AIDS and then worked with VNA. This ultimately led to a career as a Home Health Aide with Hospice of the Central Coast caring for terminally ill patients. In 2007 he retired from Hospice but continued to volunteer at local care facilities such as Eden Valley Care Center and Canterbury Woods.

Throughout this time Steve enjoyed traveling the world - first with his mother and later with his niece. He travelled to a total of 100 countries on 6 continents and made countless friends along the way. Traveling was truly his passion and he was loathe to give it up when physical limitations set in. His favorite countries to visit were Brazil, Bhutan and Namibia. He also loved wild animals and rain forests. He went on 4 African safaris and traveled to many rain forests across several continents, often in the company of his mother, a kindred lover of wild animals, rain forests and foreign cultures.

The Fox family is known for loving foreign languages and Steve was no exception. He spoke English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and German (to varying degrees of fluency). In true Fox fashion, he also loved maps, flags and geography.

Much like his late brother, Charlie Fox, Steve had a fondness for old creature features, classic horror and quirky B and C movies. In his later years he enjoyed watching Svengoolie with close friends. He was known for his quirky sense of humor, love of travel and his compassion for sick and vulnerable people.

He is survived by numerous friends, family and chosen family - in the Monterey Peninsula area and across the globe: his "Divine Niece" Alexandra Fox in WA; his nephew Norman Fox (Tracy) in OR; four grand-nieces/nephews (Ollie, Charlie, Gus and Kit) who will remember him by his uncanny ability to pick out uniquely funny birthday cards; cousins Sandy Grey (Ann) and Norman Grey in NC and Sue Reynolds (Ed) in GA; his long time friend Don Ghiselli of Monterey and his "adopted son" Ondra Kopecký of Bratislava, Slovakia.

Although Steve never had children, he did love being around kids and he sponsored children through Child Fund International and even visited them in Brazil and Guinea.

A memorial service will be announced soon. Should you wish to express your condolences via donations the following organizations would meet his approval:

Sierra Club

World Wildlife Fund

Child Fund International

Jerry's Place

Hospice of the Central Coast