Obituary of Theresa M. Fox

Theresa Maureen Sullivan Fox, 81, of Port Dickinson, died at Wilson Memorial Hospital late Saturday night, March 29, 2014. "Terry" is survived by her husband of 59 years, John W. Fox, and their four daughters, Elizabeth Nassar (Robert) of Norwich, Barb Fox Carosella (Joseph) of Vestal, Maureen Fox of Quadra Island, British Columbia, and Kimberley Fox (Scott Elliott) of Portland, ME. Terry leaves eight grandchildren, Matthew Nassar and wife Joy, Kristin Nassar, Jamie Nassar, JoJo Carosella, John Carosella, Jaron Freeman-Fox, Kai Marder, Kieran Elliott; and one great-grandchild, 16-month-old Alice Nassar - since birth the darling of Terry's eye. Other survivors include sisters, Jacklyn Faber (William) of Crystal Lake, IL, Mary Jo Sullivan of West Windsor, Rose Kanda (Stacy) of Auburn, WA; one brother, James Sullivan (Sheila) of Hilton, NY; and a sister-in-law, Beverly Sullivan of Vestal, whose husband, Edward, sadly predeceased his sister by two months; also two aunts, Julia Fiacco and Johanna Quick, both of Endicott. Mrs. Fox was born in Johnson City on Tuesday, June 7, 1932 to John and Mary (Barina) Sullivan, their second of their six children. A graduate of Johnson City High School and the College of St. Rose, Terry taught vocal music at the former St. Catherine's Elementary School, fondly nicknamed "Mrs. Fox the music box" by her students. She later taught Latin at Chenango Valley High School until retirement and was absolutely delighted at the program's remarkable participation boom under her successor. A highlight of Mrs. Fox's tenure was an Easter Week trip to Rome and nearby Italian sites, ever remembered by the eight Latin Club students joining it. Above all, she remained a lifelong devout Roman Catholic and a welcoming mother/grandma/hostess at the Port Dick address since Labor Day 1958, with children of 1 years and five months. At her Hillcrest church, now renamed St. Francis of Assisi, she was director of music for many years, a good portion as choir director and soprano soloist. The week of her death, a decades-old folder found at her home begins "Dear Lord: Thank you for endowing me with a pleasant voice and calling me to use it in your liturgical rites." Except for a late decision by Terry to spend her final college summer at home in Johnson City, the couple probably never would have met. She'd been hired to waitress at the Sagamore, swank resort on Lake George, as she'd done elsewhere at similar locations the two previous years. But early in June 1953, Miss Sullivan cancelled her Sagamore commitment and instead waitressed at a midtown Binghamton tavern called Delano's, whose co-owner had recently become a "shirt-tail relative." Delano's was directly across Chenango Street from the Press Building, site of The Binghamton Press and its reporting staff, who made the restaurant a handy quick fix both for lunch and return for after-work relaxation. The day soon arrived when the sports writer John Fox asked genial bartender Mike the new waitress's name. He, Mike, became a willing matchmaker. Voila! Less than two years later, when the newspaper's editor celebrated their engagement with a party at his home, a dear friend in the Press family formally warned Terry, "Theresa, a newspaper is a jealous mistress." No deterrent! Nor was her spouse's overdose of sports commitment. Although 20 years before Title IX insured her daughters' interscholastic sports opportunity, Terry squeezed the max that "Play Days" permitted Johnson City. She'd frequently attended local Triplets baseball games with her dad. As betrothed and bride, the number of spectatoring innings soared. Previously never at a golf course, before the wedding she had walked the first of the couples' nearly 20 U.S. Opens, plus a 'British.' Her JCHS classmates so enjoyed their 50th reunion that they soon formed the JC 50-Year Club, Terry a co-founder and year-round communications officer for the annual picnic. Despite ragged health, she visibly evidenced no clue while occupying a check-in desk for last August's record turnout. "A brave trooper - and much more," marvels a close friend. "You never knew - she always said she was 'fine'... Making my farewell bedside visit last week [when Terry had barely 24 hours to live], she sounded like herself, smiled, held hands, and kissed me." Terry enjoyed card games, especially bridge with her granddaughters. She enjoyed crossword puzzles, and fiction, and board games. She enjoyed the ocean and travel in general - the latter peaking in later years, mostly in Ireland - her great-grandparents emigrants from Kerry. No Dublin trips, but consistently three-weekers by car and bed-and-breakfast in western coast spray, almost on first try finding unbeknownst close relatives, ever lodged by whom thereafter. The family expresses special gratitude to her physician, Dr. Greg Mullen, present until the nearly midnight hour of Terry's exit to a kinder world, and to the emotionally caring staff of her 40 days in Wilson's 4th floor North Tower. A Funeral Mass will be offered at St. Francis of Assisi Church, Chenango St., Hillcrest, Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Johnson City. The family will receive friends at the J.A. McCormack Sons Funeral Home, 141 Main St., Binghamton, Friday from 4-7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in memory of Terry may be made to St. Francis of Assisi Church, 1031 Chenango St., Binghamton, NY 13901 or to a scholarship in her name for Latin students at Chenango Valley High School that should be directed to Chuck Purce, Scholarship Coordinator, Chenango Valley High School, 221 Chenango Bridge Rd., Binghamton, NY 13901