Charles Leroy Fox

Charles Leroy Fox, 86, died of natural causes April 12, 2011, at the Palmer Veterans and Pioneers Home. A funeral is at 1 p.m., Monday at St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer with visitation at noon. Pastor Rockey and Pastor Allen will officiate.

Charles was born in Brown County, Ind., on Jan. 26, 1925, to Willard and Cora (Zimmerman) Fox.

He spent his childhood living with his grandparents in an area called Fox Hollow. This was a log cabin built more than 160 years ago. There, he helped with the growing of tobacco, corn and tomatoes. He finished eighth grade in a one-room schoolhouse.

He entered the Army at the age of 19, driving a reconnaissance tank through Europe as part of the liberating forces under General Patton. At war’s end he was stationed in Nuremberg, Germany. He served as courtroom and witness box guard during the trials. For the rest of his life, he remembered the faces and demeanor of the men and women on trial.

He married Christa Strive in Germany. They returned to Fort Knox, Ky. They later divorced. In 1950, he was sent to Korea. He would remember the Chinese and how they attacked and swarmed over the tanks.

In 1962, he was stationed at Fort Richardson. It was there he met and married Arlene (Benson) Bragg on Sept. 1, 1963, in Palmer, where they have lived in the same house for more than 47 years. He had a very special love for his family and they for him.

He retired from the Army in 1964 after 20 years of service. He said, “Two wars are plenty for any man.”

He worked for Alaska Sales and Service as a mechanic and then Kirk’s Sales and Service in Palmer. In 1975, he opened his own auto mechanic shop, Bailey Hill Auto Service and U-Haul, from which he retired in 1995. He spent his retirement years building wishing wells, as his wife told him “he better find something else to do as he couldn’t sit around the house when he retired.” He loved to garden and enjoyed growing rhubarb and raspberries, which he sold to local people and tourists to take back Outside.

He was always available to help out a neighbor, friend, his church and Pioneers of Alaska. He was a member of St. John Lutheran Church, Pioneers of Alaska, Igloo No. 31; serving as president and king regent.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his infant son, Carl; his brothers, Bill Welcher, Dean Welcher and Phillip Fox; and mother-in-law, Irene Benson.

He is survived by his wife, Arlene of Palmer; sons, Jim Fox, Charles Roger (Christine) Fox of Washington; daughters, Connie Skala of Kentucky, Judy Eddy of Florida; seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; brothers, Junior Fox of Florida, Roland Fox and Tony Fox; sister, Catherine of Indiana; and step-mother, Dolly Fox of Indiana.

Memorials can be made to St. John Lutheran Church, Box 774, Palmer, AK 99645. Interment will be at the Palmer Pioneer Cemetery.

A very special thank you to the staff of the Palmer Veterans and Pioneer Home, especially those in the “Sunny Loop” area for their care and love of Charlie and his wife during the last three weeks of his life.

Arrangements were by Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel and Crematory.