Mary "Joan" Fox

Mary “Joan” Fox, age 92, passed away Wednesday, September 11, 2013 at Wheaton Franciscan – All Saints Medical Center. Joan was born in Racine, May 8, 1921, daughter of the late Cornelius and Mabel (Nee: Behrend) Rooney.

Joan was a graduate of St. Catherine’s High School “Class of 1939”. On January 20, 1948 at St. Joseph Catholic Church she was united in marriage to Lawrence “Jim” A. Fox who preceded her in death, October 17, 1998. In her early years, Joan worked in the English Department at William Horlick High School for fifteen years. Prior to her marriage, she was employed by Western Publishing for ten years.

She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church for sixty years, past president of Catholic Junior League, Sacred Heart Home and School Association, a member of the Parish Council, the Human Concerns Committee, and the Community Meals Program. A constant reader, she hosted a book club at the Racine Yacht Club where she was a life member.

Survivors include her children, Mary (Niall) Power, Anne (Charles) Swanson, Michael (Linda Garbo) Fox, Joseph (Sandi Pettibone) Fox, Kenneth (Susan Kelemen) Fox, all of Racine; Jane (Richard “Slim”) McGinn of Wauwatosa; grandchildren; Sean Conrad Fox, Abby Lynn Fox, Charles Joseph Swanson, all of Racine, Joseph Louis Exline of Seattle, WA, Samuel Vincent Exline of Wauwatosa; great-grandson, Landon Matthew Bell of Racine; brothers, Richard (Avis) Rooney of Columbia, MO, James (Nancy) Rooney of Racine; sister-in-law, Inez Rooney of Racine; nieces, nephews, and cousins by the dozen including, Robert J. and Jane Pomeday; other relatives and many dear friends. In addition to her parents and husband she was preceded in death by her brothers, Robert and John; and sisters, Kathleen (John) Nielsen, and Elizabeth (Harold) Petersen.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday, September 17, 2013, 11:00 A.M. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 2201 Northwestern Avenue, with Rev. Ricardo Martin officiating. Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery. Relatives and friends may meet with the family Monday at the funeral home from 4:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. and Tuesday at the church from 10:00 A.M. until time of Mass at 11:00 A.M. Memorials may be directed to the Racine Public Library and Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

For all of her compassionate and loving care, the family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to Tamara Swanson.