Landon Lewis Fox

Mrs. Landon Lewis Fox, 91, died on February 4 at Carolina Meadows in Chapel Hill, NC. She was born in Asheville, NC to Mary Best Lewis and William Figures Lewis. She and her sister Sally Rhoades grew up on the campus of Asheville School for Boys, which she would often say gave her Mt. Pisgah as her backyard. Landon attended St. Genevieve-of-the-Pines from first grade through high school and then entered the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina. This is where she made lifelong friends, becoming a true TarHeel, as she studied Pediatric Nursing, attended ball games and enjoyed every aspect of her undergraduate time in Chapel Hill. Landon married Dr. Thomas Fox in the fall of 1958 and they started their family, living in many different places including Charleston, SC, San Antonio, TX and Grand Forks, ND.

Eventually they settled in Charlotte, NC and raised 3 daughters. There, Landon often found herself in carpool lines but managed to stay involved in her community, volunteering in the school libraries and serving as President of the Charlotte Speech and Hearing Auxiliary. This sense of giving back through volunteering influenced all 3 daughters to do the same in their adult lives. While in Charlotte, Landon and Tom enjoyed time on Lake Norman where she waterskied and ate NC barbecue at the local fire station fund raiser. The family of 5 took a lengthy trip to Great Britain, Scotland and Wales that she planned completely, using old school AirMail correspondence. It was here that she first found her affection for the Scottish Highlands.

In their later years in Charlotte, Landon discovered a love for cruising and they made numerous trips to the Caribbean, Alaska and the British Virgin Islands. She loved the feeling of the sand between her toes and the sounds of the waves crashing the surf. Montana was another one of her favorite places to visit. Landon called Montana “the last Great place” and was seen driving her car with a Montana license plate proudly displayed up front.

Landon and Tom retired to Valle Crucis, NC where she would embrace her love for the great outdoors by introducing it to her seven grandchildren. She taught them each how to hook a worm to a fishing pole, the names of mountain flowers and to appreciate the soft sound of snow falling and the beauty of the sunset as the mountains “hunkered down for the night.” She remained active in her small community by participating with a medical volunteer group serving the rural community.

Happiest with 2 or 3 WWII spy novels on her bedside table, Landon was an avid reader; however, she was the most fulfilled reading to her grandchildren and relishing the hugs that followed their shared time. She knew much about history, enthusiastically sharing her patriotism with her family and celebrating the Fourth of July with her grandchildren as they lit sparklers off the deck of their mountain home. Eventually Landon and Tom returned to Chapel Hill, living at Carolina Meadows. Here Landon volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House, cheered her beloved TarHeels on at numerous UNC basketball and baseball games and attended University Presbyterian Church.

Those people who met Landon life found her to be kind, interesting, engaging, cheerful, and gracious…a true Southern lady. Landon enjoyed most of her life as a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Grounded in her faith, Landon hoped to be remembered as a person, who by the Grace of God was born into a loving, caring family and who lived “The Good Life”. It was this life that she was ever thankful for and for which she was grateful to live day by day.

Landon is survived by her husband of 68 years, Joe Thomas Fox of Chapel Hill, NC; 3 daughters, Katharine Stewart (Bill) of Falls Church, VA, Carter Eagle (Steve) of Savannah, GA and Sara Boyce ( Burns) of Raleigh, NC; 7 grandchildren Will Stewart ( Megan), Averil Eagle Brannen (David), Cooper Boyce (Catie), Ben Stewart (Jess), Tucker Eagle (Stacy), Peyton Boyce (Sarah) and Jeremy Stewart (Chloe); and 6 great grandchildren Charlie Brannen, Lewis Stewart, Micah Brannen, Daphne Boyce, Remy Stewart and Landon Eagle.

A Celebration of Life will take place on February 28 at University Presbyterian Church at 1:00 pm. Landon respectfully requested that those in attendance please wear some piece of Carolina Blue.

Donations in Landon’s memory can be made to the J. Thomas Fox and Landon L. Fox Undergraduate Nursing Scholarship at the UNC School of Nursing.