Obituary: Dr. Frederick A. Fox MD

Frederick A. Fox, who was 97 years old, passed away at the Madrone Hospice House in Yreka on November 23, 2020 after a short illness, with family at his side. He was the best dad and grandpa in the whole world and will be deeply missed

Frederick A. Fox was born on September 22, 1923 in Wapappello, Missouri to Ora M and Imogene L Fox. He attended school through the 7th grade in a one-room schoolhouse. At 12 years old, his family moved to Washington DC, where he graduated from Roosevelt High School.

In 1942, Fred entered the US Army. During WWII, he was in three major campaigns in Southeast Asia and was awarded the Bronze Star. He was discharged in 1946, attaining the rank of Captain. In 1946, he began college at the University of Maryland under the GI Bill as a pre-med student, graduating in 1950. He then applied, and was accepted into, the University of Chicago Medical School in 1950, graduating with a Doctorate of Medicine in 1954. Dr. Fox interned at Washington’s King County Hospital in 1954- 55; he did his residency in anatomical and clinical pathology at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles, and National Institute of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD.

His first job was as Director of Clinical Chemistry at NIH in 1959. In 1960, he moved his family to Minnesota, taking on several jobs. He was Lab Director at CT Miller Hospital in St. Paul and Professor of Lab Sciences at the University of Minnesota. In 1963, he moved to Palo Alto, where he joined the faculty at Stanford University. He served there as a Professor of Medicine and Pathology, teaching med-tech students and then became Director of Medicine until 1975. He formed the El Camino Pathology Group, who ran the labs and blood bank for El Camino Hospital in Mountain View up until his retirement in 1981.

Fred married Mildred A. Noblitt in Washington DC in August of 1949. They were married for 31 years and then subsequently divorced in 1981. In the 1950’s, they had three children: Linda, Patricia, and Barbara.

In retirement, Fred moved to Scott Valley to be near his children. He kept current in the medical field for another 30 years. For fun, he was a local HAM radio operator and a member of the American Radio Relay League, in which he served as a volunteer examiner for amateur radio licensing through the FCC. He loved books and was an avid reader. He had a stone and lapidary hobby, an interest in electronics and computers, plus he enjoyed photography.

Fred is preceded in death by his parents, Imogene and Lloyd Ives of Fairbanks, Alaska and a brother, Carol L. Fox of Keno, Oregon. He is survived by his sister, Joyce of Marysville, Tennessee, and his three daughters: Linda Fox of Santa Barbara, Patricia Wester of Fort Jones, and Barbara Craig of Fort Jones. He also had five grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Per Fred’s request, there will be no funeral service. Girdner Funeral Chapel is assisting the family, and online condolences may be made at www.girdnerfuneralchapel.com.