Penny Mellott Fox's Obituary
Penelope “Penny” Mellott Fox, age 87, of Fayetteville, Arkansas passed away on May 22, 2013. Penny was born April 24, 1926 to Cora Mae Fleck and Martin Lloyd Mellott in Riddlesburg, Pennsylvania. After the death of her parents, she moved to Kansas City, Kansas to live with her uncle Judge Arthur J. Mellott and family.
Penny graduated from Mount Vernon High School in Alexandria, Virginia. She received her BS in Education in 1948 from Radford State Teachers College in Radford, Virginia. She married Naval officer John E. Fox in 1950 and spent the next 16 years as a military wife stationed throughout the United States, the Philippines and Sicily.
Penny was a gifted and innovative 3rd grade teacher receiving numerous awards for excellence in Economic Education. She worked as a consultant for the State Department of Education conducting workshops in Economic Education at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville for many summers. In 1982, she was named Fayetteville Teacher of the Year. After 21 years at Asbell Elementary, she retired to her first loves of gardening and grandchildren.
Penny is predeceased by her loving husband of 60 years, her parents, and all 13 of her siblings. She is survived by one son, John E. Fox Jr. of Tulsa, Oklahoma; two daughters: Jeanie Fox of Fayetteville and Tory Fox Gaddy and her husband Jeff of Springdale; four grandchildren: Jesse Fox of Fayetteville, Tim Rogers of Fayetteville, Ben Rogers of Denver, Colorado and Caitlin Rogers of Fayetteville; and former son in law, Mike Rogers of Fort Smith, Arkansas.
The family wishes to extend special thanks to Penny’s care giver Shirley Dixon with whom she spent many precious hours, and to the caring professionals at Willard Walker Hospice Home for their exceptional care in her final days.
Visitation will be 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Tuesday, May 28, 2013 at Moore’s Chapel in Fayetteville. A memorial service will be 11:00 am Wednesday at Central United Methodist Church in Fayetteville under the direction of Moore’s Chapel.
Memorial gifts may be directed to the Bessie Moore Center for Economic Education, Gift Services, 300 UNHS, 1 U of A, Fayetteville, AR 72701.
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