Carol Joyce Fox

Carol Joyce Priest Fox was born in Long Island, New York on November 15, 1930, to Raymond H. Priest and Jean Paviak.  At a young age, Carol’s family moved to Philadelphia and Pittsburg, eventually settling in Topeka, Kansas, when she was three.  She attended St. Mary’s Academy in Leavenworth, KS and headed to Colorado soon after graduation.  While working at a summer job in Grand Lake, CO, Carol met the love of her life, John Fox, on a blind date.  He proposed to Carol one week later.

John and Carol were married on February 5, 1949 at Assumption Church in Topeka.  They returned to Grand Lake that summer, then moved to Omaha, NE where John reentered Pharmacy School and first daughter, Peg, was born.  Pharmacy School then led them to Lincoln, NE, where a second child, Joyce, was born.  Upon John’s graduation from Pharmacy School in 1952, they settled in his hometown, Spalding, NE, where they bought Fox Drug Store from his father.  Six more children, Steven, Joseph, Daniel, Jane, Joanna and Kit, were born during their years in Spalding.  Never forgetting their love of the mountains, they relocated Fox Drug Store to Florence, CO in 1963, where three more daughters, Genevieve, Barbara, and Julie, were born.

Carol had a wonderful sense of humor and she also had a very quick wit.  During a recent hospital stay, she continually had the doctors and nurses in stitches.  She was also adept at embarrassing her children with her jokes, as many family stories attest to.  She once wrote a humorous poem to the President of The Rexall Drug Company, earning the family a trip to the Rexall Convention at Disneyland.  Carol was an excellent swimmer and diver.  She competed in Senior Swim Meets for many years and was still doing back dives at age 70.  She read so many books, the Florence Librarians were continually challenged to keep her supplied. Both John and Carol were involved in the local theatrical group, The Red Brick Players.

John and Carol traveled extensively in search of their family roots. They traced some family members back hundreds of years and Carol was proud of the fact she was eligible not only for the DAR, but also for the Colonial Dames. This love of history led to many hours researching Fremont County, Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad history. Carol was most proud to be part of the early efforts to preserve the San Juan Bautista Cemetery. Their history collection is now the basis of the Florence Historical Archive.

Carol was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, John Fox, on March 7, 2016, and by three additional children, John, Raymond, and Mary, who were born in Spalding and died in infancy. Carol is survived by her daughters Peg (Tom) Piltingsrud, Joyce (Mike) Connors, Jane (Fred) Gifford, Joanna (Scott) Wilson, Kit [Caroline] (John) Lamborn, Genevieve (Richard) Barrett, Barbara Fox, Julie (Derek) Privette and sons Steven (Pam) Fox, Joseph (Linda) Fox, and Daniel (Lori) Fox. Carol has 23 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. Part of John’s and Carol's ashes are buried at San Juan Bautista Cemetery in Florence.  The remainder will be buried at St. Michael’s Parish in Spalding, NE.

Any donations should be sent to The Florence Historical Archive at 600 W 3rd St, Suite H, Florence, Co 81226 or the San Juan Bautista Cemetery.

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