Francis H. Fox Dvm

Dr. Francis Henry Fox DVM, 92, passed away on March 13, 2015, surrounded by family and loved ones. Born March 11, 1923, in Clifton Springs, Francis was the son of Henry Sylvester and Alma (Lindner) Fox. Dr. Fox was a venerated and fabled professor of large animal medicine at Cornell University from 1947 until his retirement in 1992. He maintained emeritus status from the time of his retirement until his death, and continued to be a prominent figure in the College of Veterinary Medicine for many years. Dr. Fox is survived by his loving wife of 68 years, Mildred (‘Cully'); his four children, Rosanna ‘Rusty' Fox of Ithaca; Laurinda ‘Rindy' (Stephen) Garcia of New Haven, Connecticut; Teresa ‘Terry' (Mark) Malaspina of Woodbury, Connecticut and Henry ‘Ted' (Pat MacRae) Fox of Skaneateles, New York; and his grandchildren Emily Garcia, Jillian (Jonathan) Miner, Stephanie Garcia, Lauren (Ludovic) Vincent, and Robert, Marty and Paul Malaspina.

Dr. Fox will surely be remembered by hundreds of students and protégés as a legendary instructor and ruthless trickster, as well as a tremendous mentor and loyal friend. Fox began his career in large animal ambulatory medicine and garnered respect among his students and farm clients as a master of the art of physical diagnostics. He often lamented the ever-increasing reliance on laboratory testing. He had a tremendous gift in his ability to read the subtle cues given by animals, and he had a knack for teaching his students that skill. Among his family and closest friends, Francis was known as a lover of animals with a keen awareness and appreciation for the natural world. Indeed by his own admission, Francis preferred the company of animals over that of most people.

Dr. Fox was one of the last of a generation of ambulatory veterinarians who believed that caring for animals was just one facet of his responsibility: he believed that it is the role of the veterinarian to care for the farmer, too. Fox was loved by his clients, and he formed relationships with them just as if they were family. He was equally adept treating large herds as small ones, and he had an indelible respect for the craft and the work of the farmer.

Dr. Fox was a tremendous teacher, and he will always be respected and admired by former students, many of whom visited him year after year. Until the end of his life, Dr. Fox was called upon to consult on difficult cases, always offering trusted insight and his characteristic intuition. A certain lore exists among Cornell veterinarians surrounding Dr. Fox and his legacy. He had a sharp wit and was a ruthless practical joker, never resisting an opportunity to play tricks on his esteemed colleagues and students; they often responded with their own brand of revenge. These are the stories that will go down in history to memorialize the legend of Dr. F.H. Fox. It is certain that the sinister cackle that was his laugh will be permanently engrained in the minds of the many people who were privileged enough to study under him, to work with him, and to know him.

Though he was not one to boast, Dr. Fox amassed a vast list of professional credentials, awards and accomplishments. Among these, he served as Executive Board Member and Chairman of the American Veterinary Medical Association; the President of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners; Charter Member of the American College of Veterinary Internists; Chairman and Chief of Medicine of the Department of Large Animal Medicine, Obstetrics and Surgery at the NYS College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, and Director of the Ambulatory Clinic at the veterinary college. He also served for nearly two decades on the Tompkins County Board of Health, 13 years as chairman.

Dr. Fox will be sorely missed by many people. His philosophy of animal care and diagnostics will live on, particularly at the hands of his students who (he expects) will continue to master the craft that he taught them. Calling hours for Dr. Fox will be held Monday, March 16 from 4:00-7:00 pm at Bangs Funeral Home (209 W. Green Street, Ithaca; www.bangsfuneralhome.com; (607)-272-1922). A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, March 17 at 11:00 am at St. Catherine of Siena Church (302 St. Catherines Circle, Ithaca), where Francis and Mildred were founding members. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Catherine of Siena Church or to the Dr. Francis H. Fox Scholarship Fund (College of Veterinary Medicine, Box 39, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-6401), a fund established in 1990 to support second- or third-year students who have financial need, and who display an interest in large animal medicine and an aptitude for physical diagnostics. The family would like to thank all of Dr. Fox's caregivers at Classen Home Health Associates, Clare Bridge of Ithaca, Oak Hill Manor and Cayuga Medical Center. Also a special thanks to Rusty Fox, his primary caregiver for the last 3 years.