Charles Stanley "Buddy" Fox - 1913 - 1944

FOX, KELLY, PETTIT, LANBECK, GLOS, FROEMMING, HODGES

Posted By: Connie Ellis (email)
Date: 5/30/2011 at 19:28:39

SOURCE: Waukon, Iowa newspaper about December 5, 1944
Contributor: Connie (Kelly) Ellis - Kelly Family Researcher

Following nearly five months of intense suffering, death came to the relief of Charles Stanley "Buddy" Fox at 9 o'clock a.m. Wednesday, November 29, 1944 at the home of his brother-in-law, Truman Slitor. It will be recalled that he met with a serious accident while engaged in haying on his farm in Jefferson Township, Allamakee County, Iowa on July 3, 1944, resulting in a fractured vertebra in his neck which caused paralysis of the body except in his arms. Fox and his assistant, Forest Kelly, age 16, son of Mr. and Mrs. Creston Kelly of Rossville were using a tractor-drawn wagon to haul hay to the barn. The tractor was being driven by Forest's brother, Donald Kelly, when the two vehicles became unhooked and the tongue of the wagon plunged into the ground, pitching the men headfirst to the ground. He was rushed to Rochester, Minnesota in an unconscious state in the Ryan ambulance. Kelly received minor injuries.

For many weeks he received care at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota then later he was at the Decorah, Iowa hospital. For the past three months his devoted wife has been constantly at his bedside at the home of her sister, Mrs. Truman (Gwen) Slitor, a nurse who has assisted in his care.

Stanley was born at Stickney, South Dakota on July 18, 1913 to Mr. and Mrs. Charles F.Fox. In 1919 the family moved to Timber Lake, South Dakota which is in the northern part of that state, where he received his education and graduated from the high school in 1930. In 1934 the family went to Sunnyside in the Yakima Valley in the state of Washington where "Buddy" as he was familiarly known, secured employment on a fruit ranch. Later he joined the civil conservation corps and for nine months was stationed in a camp situated in the mountains near Yakima. He then went to Maywood, Illinois and was employed by A. Fox & Son, a millwork and cabinet work company.

When in Maywood he formed the acquaintance of Miss Lorraine Kelly of Waukon, Iowa, who became his wife on February 28, 1938. They made their home for a year with her grandfather, Jess L. Kelly, on his farm in Paint Creek Township, and then returned to Yakima Valley. The past four years they have resided on the Lon Pettit farm in Paint Creek Township on which his critical accident occurred.

He leaves to mourn, beside his wife and parents, a brother Pvt. Vernon D. Fox of Camp Gordon, Johnston, Florida and a sister Dolores of Kennydale, Washington. Shortly before the accident Buddy and Lorraine took a sturdy little boy, James Lee, from the Iowa Soldiers Orphanage at Davenport, Iowa into their home to become a cherished member of their household, but under the circumstances were obliged to give him up. He had been in the care of Lorraine's Uncle and Aunt, Creston and Thelma Kelly, during this trying time and they will be adopting him.

Mr. Fox possessed a quiet, cheerful disposition which was especially noted during his five months prostration. Whenever possible during his life he was ever ready to lend a helping hand where needed; diligent and conscientious, he was gifted along many lines of work.

His remains reposed at Martin's Funeral Home until Sunday afternoon when services were held at the Presbyterian Church, conducted by Rev. A. H. Grossheim. Burial followed in Oakland Cemetery with the following serving as pallbearers: Vernon and Cletus Huffman, Oscar Thompson, Lyal Mitchell, Willard Kiesau, and Charles Feuerhelm.

Relatives from a distance in attendance at the services were Charles H. Fox, Kennydale, Washington, Mrs. Henry Lanback, Stickney, South Dakota, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Fox, Mr. and Mrs. Martin Glos and daughter Loraine, Mrs. Helen Froemming and daughter, Mrs. Geraldine Hodges, all of Maywood, Illinois.