I had a cousin Names Roger A. Fox, i am not sure if it is the same Roger. I haven't really seen him since my moms funeral in 1986. God bless all if it is the same person.
I can't be sure , I'm thinking that two different Roger Fox guys died last week . The one I know Died , I think , 17 April in Kintucky or Tennessee . Up until a month or so ago he lived in Amargosa Valley Nevada . He was struggling with some kind of Cancer so friends & family helped him get home . He was the cook @ Lathrop Wells & had many friends .
Roger was my room mate from time to time at the University of Illinois, Urbana. We met through his cousin, Barry Lippa who has been my closest friend for almost a half century. Roger and I were both members of the campus chapter of the NAACP. Roger was almost always serious BUT, he knew how to laugh also at intolerance. In July 1963 we, the chapter, got a outside toilet out of northeast Champaign and mounted it on a flatbed with a sign that tied in with the Independence Day theme of 100 years of progress. Only we had our president, Mack Jones, who went on to be a scholar of Black politics in the south, to be pushing open the door demanding open housing while I, representing the white realtor establishment, kept shouting, we white realtors have to keep you in your "place." When we went by the Turk's Head coffee shop, we received oour only loud cheers. After circling the football field twice, we retired victoriously. The 4th committee announce in a few days that future parades would have all entries checked for "appropiateness" before the event. Roger was also one of our leaders as we boycotted, one summer, a new J.C. Penney's for racial discrimination. When they caved in, so did all of downtown Champaign. On a lighter note, I remember giving Roger the GOY award for the Jewish person, at least at that time, who knew the least about "his" culture while he promptly gave me the JOY award to the "gentile" who knew the most about Jewish culture. Usually from afar, and through Barry, i followed his career and committment. I was made a better person for knowing him and working with him in my still formative years. Thank you, belatedly, Gary Woll
I thank my parents for making me who I am in many ways, but I thank my dear Uncle Roger for teaching me much of what to believe in. He deeply cared about making a difference in the lives of those less fortunate than him, and thanks to him, I do, too. He was one of my true heroes and I only hope I can do his memory justice in working for the good of others.