William "Andy/Bill" Fox

William Andrew Fox, age 77, of Sun City West, Arizona, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 1, 2015, at Banner –University Medical Center Hospital, Phoenix, AZ campus (formerly known as Good Samaritan Hospital) with his wife at his side, after a valiant 19 month battle with bile duct cancer. He was the oldest of three sons born to Andrew Benjamin “Andy” and Anna Lois “Lois” (Harper) Fox on March 10, 1938 in Macon, GA. He was known as “Little Andy” and “Andy” by his family and those who met him in his childhood and as “Bill” by those who met him in his adulthood. On November 30, 1963, he married the former Mary Catherine Eckes of North Mankato, MN. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in Macon, GA in September 1957, was one of the Navy’s first Data Systems Technicians, and served his country for 23 years, including a Vietnam tour, before retiring in 1981. He enjoyed another 23 year career with Logicon (acquired by Northrup-Grumman in 1997) as a Computer Engineer in San Diego, CA, and retired again in 2005. Bill and Mary moved to Sun City West, AZ in 2013. Bill was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Parish in Sun City West, AZ and St. Pius X Catholic Parish in Chula Vista, CA. He was an avid reader and enthusiast of anything mechanical including railroads, airplanes, and automobiles; loved good movies and was a skilled baker. He served on St. Pius X’s Parish finance committee, was an active member of the Antique Tractor and Steam Museum in San Diego, and the U.S.S. Perkins Association. He belonged to the Fleet Reserve Association. Surviving are his wife of 51 years, his daughters Linda (Michael) Coe and Mary Lois (Peter) Petito; four grandchildren, Mykala Coe, Andrea Coe, Christopher Petito, and Veronica Petito; his brother Charles Lionel (Viola) Fox; his sisters-in-law, Sandra Fox Feeny and Donna Eckes Lietzke; his brother-in-law, David (Barb) Eckes; several nieces, nephews, and cousins. Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his brother Howard Fox (1994) and his niece Lauri Fox (2008). A Mass of Christian Burial and reception will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2015 at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Sun City West, AZ. Burial of ashes will be on Friday, August 28, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. with full military honors in Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, MN. Contact family for further details. Funeral arrangements were made by Menke Funeral & Cremation Center of Sun City, AZ. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church (specify Repairs and Maintenance Fund) or The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation - Campaign for the CURE (cholangiocarcinoma.org), 5526 West 13400 South, #510, Salt Lake City, UT 84096