Robert "Bob" Fox

Robert "Bob" Fox, 70 yrs, died Thursday, May 20, 2021, in Dearborn Heights, MI. Cremation has occurred.

Bob was born May 13, 1951, in Monroe, Michigan to loving parents Henry and Agnes (Motycka) Fox. They lived on a farm in rural Raisinville Township, Monroe, County, MI. All four of his grandparents emigrated from a small rural town located in Czechoslovakia and its culture, cuisine, and music were celebrated at family gatherings and festivals as he grew. Until his passing, Bob was a member of the American -Czech-Slovak Dance Club in Milbury, Ohio (his mother's hometown) and attended functions at the Detroit Sokol and the Metamora, Ohio Czech Dance Clubs. He was proud of and grateful for the heritage.

He attended St. Joseph Catholic Church in Ida, Michigan until 1970. Bob attended Ida Public School until his sophomore year then graduated from Monroe Catholic Central in 1969.

His love for aviation led him to study at the University of Detroit for two years and graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from St. Louis University in 1973. Because no aviation careers were available, he applied his engineering education working at Bobcock & Wilcox, B&W, a utility boiler manufacturer based in Barbertown, Ohio. From 1974 to 1979 he worked in the Functional Engineering department as a Stress Analyst Engineer while attending graduate school at Akron University. For two years, until 1981, he was a field service engineer for B&W participating with boiler system troubleshooting and power plant construction start-ups at utilities in the Rocky Mountain region.

With that experience, he worked at Detroit Edison beginning 1981 until retiring in 2006 from DTE Energy's Engineering Support Organization, Mechanical Equipment Systems- Boiler and Auxiliaries Group. For 25 years he worked from downtown Detroit, corporate central staff engineering departments. He participated in boiler related planning, maintenance and operation projects at all the DTE Energy's fossil fired power plants. He spoke highly of his colleagues, supervisors, and the DTE Energy Corporation.

Bob was a Licensed Residential Builder and Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Michigan.

In 1983, Bob purchased a home in Brownstown Township, Michigan where he lived until his passing. He loved his neighbors. His home was located near I-75 and midway between his downtown Detroit headquarters and his homestead farm and nearby Monroe Custer Airport.

Throughout his life, Bob continued his love of aviation and flying. He was a commercial, instrument, and multi-engine rated pilot and a certified flight instructor. He soloed on his 16th birthday, obtained his private pilot license on his 17th birthday, and became a CFI at 21 in 1972. He owned a Beechcraft Musketeer since 1986 and enjoyed taking people for sightseeing flights and aerial photography. He loved the friendships that evolved from the Monroe area aviation community.

Bob is survived by a son, John R. Fox.

His ashes were buried in the St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Ida, MI. He asked he be remembered by being kind and humane towards animals.