DE SMET — John W. Fox, 92, of De Smet, and formerly of Iroquois, passed away Wednesday, September 11, 2019, at Huron Regional Medical Center, surrounded by his family.
A funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 16, at the Iroquois Methodist Church. Visitation will be held at the church in Iroquois on Sunday evening from 5-7 p.m., with a time of prayer and sharing at 6:30 p.m. A private burial will be held on Monday prior to services.
The family invites all to a reception to be held at the Event Center in De Smet following the funeral services in Iroquois.
John W. Fox, the son of John D. Fox and Mollie (Grothe) Fox, was born Oct. 7, 1926, on a farm near Sibley, Iowa. The family moved to several different farms in southwest Minnesota, finally settling near Lake Benton. John attended country school and graduated from Lake Benton High School in 1945. In 1946 he and his brothers began farming near Bancroft, and in 1949 he joined the Naval Air Reserves for four years. During that time, John was united in marriage with Jean Bressler on Oct. 21, 1950 in Lake Benton. They lived near Bancroft, and in 1953 John and Jean built their first home near Iroquois, where they raised their family and farmed until retiring and moving to De Smet.
John had a passion for raising and feeding cattle. You could find him at auction barns on “Sale Day.” John and his brother, Darwin, started Fox Auction Service and enjoyed several years of auctioneering together. Attending activities of grandchildren and great grand-children, was always a highlight for him. He also enjoyed every card game he played with family and friends.
He was a member of the Iroquois United Methodist Church where he served various positions throughout the years. John also served on the Iroquois School Board, the Iroquois Housing Board and the Yale Co-op Board,
Grateful for having shared in John’s life are his wife, Jean; his children: Cherrlyn (Darrell) Fast of Huron, Kim (Kyle) Gross of Iroquois, and Tammy (Jeff) Albrecht of De Smet; 11 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren, his brother, Darwin (Clara Mae) Fox of De Smet, and many nieces and nephews.
John was preceded in death by his son, Monte; his parents; three sisters, Barbara, Luella, and Illona; and three brothers, Cliff, Jim, and Bob.
Osthus Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Information can be found online at
osthusfuneral@mchsi.com.
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