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James Fredric Fox

04/02/1934 - 08/15/2022
Interment: 9/25/2022

Loving husband, father, grandfather and brother went to be with his Heavenly Father on Monday, August 15, 2022, at his home in Mesa, AZ.

Jim was 88 years of age; born April 2, 1934, in North Olmstead, Ohio to Vera Alice Knable and Frank Francis Fox. Growing up, Jim lived “out on the farm” with his mother, stepfather, sisters and grandparents. The family eventually moved into Wakeman where he attended the Wakeman Area Schools.  After high school, Jim enlisted in the Marine Corps and served until 1951. He then followed in his grandfather’s footsteps joining the Cleveland Stereotyper’s Union and worked for the Cleveland Plain Dealer for 14+ years commuting daily from Wakeman with his grandpa.  Jim married his first wife, Genevieve, also from Wakeman, in 1954 and together they had four surviving children; Denis, Rhonda, TJ and Jennifer, that he loved so very dearly.  Jim was an Automobile enthusiast and owned many different cars during his lifetime and was also a collector of coins.

Jim loved being with and talking to people and was quite the businessman working in and operating several small businesses during his lifetime. He became part owner of the Wagon Wheel Restaurant in Wakeman with his brother-in-law.  In 1968, after having vacationed and falling in love with Arizona, Jim moved the family to Tucson where he also worked as Stereotyper for the Tucson Daily Star. No more shoveling and driving through the snow and cold.  Later he and Genevieve opened Jenny’s Sandwich Shop and the children helped them operate it after school.  After his divorce from Genevieve, Jim met and was married, for a short time, to his second wife Patty in 1983.

Jim eventually became a salesman, traveling throughout the southwest for an Arts & Crafts Wholesaler in Phoenix, AZ, where he met his third wife, Brenda, and they married in 1989.  In 1993, Jim and Brenda moved to New Mexico for a few years where their son Bradley was born. They moved back to “God’s Country” Arizona in 2000, living in Clifton where he owned and operated the consignment, gift, coffee, ice cream and lastly sandwich shop from 2003-2008.  Jim was also a salesman for Fuller Brush and Watkins Products.  He retired after closing the shop and spent time working on his coin and fast-food toy collections and helping to raise Bradley.  Jim and Brenda moved to Mesa, Arizona in late 2019, with the transfer of her job.

Jim was proceeded in death by his mother Vera, his father Frank and “dad” (stepfather) Frank Merwin Arnold, his first wife Genevieve, son-in-law Edward and an infant son, Christopher.  Jim is survived by his wife, Brenda, of 33 years; three sisters Doris, Linda and Gail; the five children named above, seven grandchildren, sixteen great grandchildren and counting and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Brenda just had the opportunity to take Jim back “home” to Ohio in June-July to visit family and attend a family reunion picnic held in his honor.  A Celebration of Life has been planned in Albuquerque, NM in October for family from Arizona and New Mexico.  Jim’s wishes were to have his ashes buried at his mother Vera’s gravesite in Wakeman, Ohio. The interment will take on Sunday, September 25th in celebration of what would have been her 114th Birthday.

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