William Fox Obituary

Col. (Ret.) William "Bill" Innis Fox HUNTSVILLE, AL - Col. (Ret.) William "Bill" Innis Fox, 85, of Huntsville, was called to be at home with the Lord on Saturday. Col. Fox was born in Charlotte, NC but grew up in Charleston and Charleston County, SC. He attended public schools and Clemson A&M College before being drafted into the Army near the close of WWII. After being commissioned at Fort Benning, GA, he served in Hq, Far East Command, as part of the early Occupation Forces in Japan. After completing his tour, Col. Fox returned to school, graduated from Clemson College with a BS Degree in Chemical Engineering, entered graduate school at the University of New Mexico, and later received a MS Degree in Chemical Engineering from The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Shortly after the start of the war in Korea, Col. Fox was recalled to active duty in the Army and completed 29 years of military service, retiring as a Colonel, having served in Korea, Germany, and Vietnam. Major assignments included ROTC at The Ohio State University, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, positions on the Department of the Army General Staff at the Pentagon, and management positions at Washington, DC in Headquarters, U.S. Army Combat Developments Command and the U.S. Army Material Command. He commanded an R&D unit in Vietnam, gathering data for future development of U.S. Army equipment, vehicles, and medical methods and treatment. After retirement in 1974, Col. Fox headed the Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering at Trident Technical College in Charleston, SC; managed the Training Department for a spent nuclear fuel processing plant; and served as a consultant to several projects for the Department of Energy. A highlight experience was serving as a U.S. Consultant in the Training Branch of the Safeguards Department in the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria. During his Army active service, Col. Fox was awarded the Legion of Merit (Three awards), the Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Expert Infantry Badge, U.S. Army General Staff Identification Badge, in addition to several combat service ribbons and foreign awards. Col. Fox and his wife moved into Magnolia Trace Retirement Community in Huntsville from Augusta, GA in late April, 2003. He was preceded in death by his parents, Innis Luther Fox and Rubelle Smith Fox of Hollywood, SC; and his wife, Roberta Keaton. Survivors include sons, Steven W. Fox of Baton Rouge, LA, Robert I. Fox of Huntsville, and Norman K. Fox of Appleton WI; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. The funeral service will immediately follow in the chapel with the Rev. Emerson Lyle officiating. There will also be a visitation from 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday at McDougald Funeral Home in Anderson, SC, followed by a graveside service at 2:30 at New Silver Brook Cemetery. Visit our guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/ charleston