Master Chief Max "Mike" Fox

When someone is identified as a natural leader, certain images come to mind. First thoughts are of a no-nonsense, tough-minded, dedicated and disciplined person. This description accurately fits Master Chief Max Fox who was indeed a born leader. He will be remembered as being organized, practical and realistic. He was a person who always carried a strong sense of duty with him throughout his life. Possessed with traditional “old school” morals, Max (known throughout his life as Mike) was an individual who clearly communicated to those around him just who he was and what he was all about. Everyone acquainted with Mike knew him as a well-respected man who was a stable force in his community.

      Mike was born on April 30, 1933 in Detroit, Michigan. He was named Max -- no middle name -- just Max. His parents were Morris and Freda Rothenberg Finklestein. Morris immigrated from Russia and Freda immigrated from Poland. They were orthodox Jews and kept a kosher household. Morris became a naturalized citizen in 1943 and changed the family name to Fox. Freda never learned English and didn't become a citizen. When Morris was a young man in Odessa, Russia, he trained to become a concert violinist. When the Red Guard came into power, the only job they would let him do because he was Jewish was clean out the stables. He learned to work with leather and opened a small shop in Detroit where he made holsters and saddles for the Detroit police force. He had a large, white plaster horse in his window that he called Murphy. He was an honest but poor man who helped those even less fortunate than he was. In the summer of 1943 when Detroit had race riots, buildings on either side of Morris' shop were torched. The neighbors stood in front of his shop and told everyone not to touch his property. Mike's father never had a car, but took the bus everywhere. Mike was born during the Depression and his parents suffered like everybody else. When they were evicted because they couldn't pay their rent, the family had to disperse among relatives. Mike was sent to a Jewish orphanage that was connected to an old folks home. He stayed there for several years until his parents could gather the family together again. One of the few things Mike remembers about the orphanage was an episode during dinner. The woman in charge of the dining room placed spinach on the children's plates. When her back was turned, Mike grabbed his spinach and stuffed it into his little white shirt pocket. Of course it turned his shirt green and he received a severe scolding for wasting food. As the youngest of four children with older parents, Mike grew up with a lot of freedom to explore and seek adventures with little supervision.

     Mike's sister Sylvia was the first born, Eddy came next, Jack was the third child, and Max (later called Mike) was the baby. Mike loved his older brothers and followed Jack around. Jack was a body builder and Mike helped him get ready for competitions by shaving his legs and applying oil to his muscles. Jack changed Max's name to Mike when Mike was about eight years old. He would answer the phone and if someone asked for his uncle who also was named Max, young Mike would say "This is Max." Mike's mother scolded him for answering for his uncle, but Mike persisted until Jack said, "We're going to call you Mike." And Mike kept the name throughout his life.

      As a young boy, Mike loved sports. He played football, basketball, hockey, and baseball. In high school he took up boxing with the Catholic Youth Organization. He devoted every possible minute to sports. Mike's passion for sports continued throughout his life. He could recite statistics and names of sports figures from the 1920s on. He could win every sports trivia contest hands down. He had two close friends in the neighborhood, Ralph and Jerry. They played games, sports, and went to movies together. Mike organized a "gang" with Jerry, Ralph, and some of the guys on the football team and he named them "the Lobos." He had fond memories of his gang and often expressed regret that he no longer had the Lobos jacket.

Mike's father worked long hours and seldom had time for recreational activities. The one luxury he enjoyed on the weekend was to take his sons to watch wrestling in downtown Detroit. Many of the wrestlers were Polish and they were friends of Mike's father. They were fierce looking, but always greeted the young boys in a friendly manner. Mike remembered going to watch wrestling with his father and continued to watch matches on television throughout his lifetime. He always pointed out how the wrestlers faked injuries and made everything look real.

      In school, Mike was as far from being a model student as one could possibly imagine. He often skipped school during baseball season to wipe off the bleachers at the stadium for tips. His greatest joy was playing quarterback on the football team and boxing at Kronk gym. The football team didn't win very many games, but Mike enjoyed being on the team. He often talked about boxing at Kronk gym and seeing Joe Lewis and other famous boxers. They talked to the young boxers and gave them advice. Mike wasn't interested in doing homework or studying and his parents were unaware of his poor grades. His father worked long hours and Mike's mother didn't speak English. Mike became adept at signing his mother's name to his report cards. Mike attended McKenzie High School and later went to Central High School when the school boundaries were changed. Mike was bullied when he first went to McKenzie because he was Jewish and a little guy. He soon developed a reputation for being tough and a fighter so the other boys left him alone. He graduated from Central in 1952. He didn't like school with the exception of English class. He was appointed the master of ceremonies when the students gave weekly speeches in the auditorium. The experience helped him develop self confidence and the ability to speak well in public.  Mike didn't go to college when he left high school. The Korean War was going on and Mike knew he would be drafted eventually. He decided to join the Navy. The detailer who interviewed him asked what Mike wanted to be in the Navy and he said, "An Air Traffic Controller." The detailer said, "There aren't any positions available. How would you like to be a hospital corpsman?" Mike said, "What do they do?" The detailer said, "You'll work in a hospital around nurses." Mike thought that was pretty appealing so he agreed. Later he would fraternize with one of those nurses and, as punishment, be sent to combat school to be trained to serve with the Marines in Korea. Mike didn't know that the Marines don't have their own medics and Navy Corpsmen serve with them. Mike served with the 1st Marine Division and lost part of his elbow when a roadside bomb exploded. Mike said that it was so cold in Korea that the men slept in their clothes and had to take turns watching the stove pipe in their tent to make sure it didn't catch fire.

When Mike came home from Korea, he left the Navy and decided to become a doctor. He enrolled in Wayne State University in Detroit. While attending college, Mike worked in a hospital to support himself and began to box as a semi-pro. His work and boxing left little time for study and it wasn't too long before he realized his goal of becoming a doctor was unrealistic. About that time he met Anne Jacobs who would later become his wife. When Mike decided to marry Anne, he reenlisted in the Navy. Mike and Anne spent their honeymoon driving to Seattle, Washington where Mike awaited his orders. His first duty station was Chase Air Field in Beeville, Texas. Mike was a lover of animals and cherished his pet boxers. Mike had eight boxers over 55 years. Mike and Anne developed a love for boxer dogs when they baby sat for the chaplain in Beeville, Texas. They bought a male puppy and named him Napoleon. Anne brought him along when she went to pick up Mike at the airfield and the puppy jumped out of the car. He ran onto the airfield and the security guard shot and killed him. Mike and Anne were crushed. Mike just barely scraped by on his Navy salary and borrowed $75 from his father-in-law to get another puppy. Mike paid back the loan as soon as he could and he and Anne named the new puppy Duchess. Mike's next six boxers were all females that they named "Duchess." Years later, one of Mike's neighbors commented to a friend that Mike's boxers sure lived long, and the friend said, "Well, you know he names all his dogs Duchess so it's hard to tell."

Mike had a distinguished 27-year career in the Navy and rose to the rank of Master Chief. In 1968, he and four other corpsmen were assigned to the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, Texas. Mike led the effort to establish the human test support group in what is now known as Johnson Space Center. He not only recruited test subjects, but served as a test subject himself on many of the tests. Mike spent three years at NASA before the Navy called him to Vietnam. His duty was to serve as the leading chief responsible for overseeing the 3rd Marine Medical Battalion Hospital in Quang Tri. He received several awards recognizing him for his heroism in Korea and Vietnam, including The Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the United Nations Korean Service Medal, the National Defense Medal, Navy Commendation Medal with Valor, a Navy Achievement Medal, a Vietnamese Service Medal, a Combat Action Ribbon, a National Defense Medal with a Star, a Presidential Unit Citation, and a Campaign Ribbon for serving with the Marines. Mike retired from the Navy in 1978 and went back to work at NASA for the next 33 years.

A hard worker who valued efficiency, Mike was always striving to make improvements where they were necessary. He was able to analyze situations and problems, keeping everything and everyone on track. Mike was an excellent project leader who could quickly make decisions based on the information available. He was a team player and expected the same from his colleagues. In both his personal and professional environments, Mike upheld his standards. He was known for his adherence to the rules at NASA. When he was instructing classes in physiology or CPR, he expected people to be on time. It didn't matter who came late, the door to the classroom was locked promptly when class began and neither astronauts nor administrators who were late would be admitted.

As someone who placed a high value on showing gratitude, Mike often wrote letters praising people who provided excellent service or who did something that was above and beyond what was expected. Mike was a humble person who didn't seek recognition for himself. When he saw that there was a need to get something done, he was more than willing to give his time and energy to see it accomplished. As a result, he was often recognized by his superiors. Some of his most prestigious awards include the Silver Snoopy, the Astronauts personal award of achievement, the 1994 President's Special Citation from the Society of NASA Flight Surgeons, NASA's Exceptional Service Medal, and the 2003 recipient of the Society of NASA Flight Surgeons' Honorary Member Award.

      Mike was outgoing, approachable, and had many friends. He was straightforward in his relationships and his friends and co-workers often confided in him because he could be trusted to offer sound advice and keep their confidence. He enjoyed people and he and Anne gave lots of parties throughout their marriage. Mike was well known for his sense of humor and his love for teasing people. He had an infectious laugh and enjoyed jokes and joking. He loved magic shows and developed skills in performing card tricks at a young age. Mike developed a number of long-lasting friendships. He and Gary Delisle were friends for more than 60 years and he and Bob Stevenson were friends for more than 50 years. Mike had an uncanny ability to remember sports trivia and could recite statistics and names from the 1920s up to the present.

       Mike cared deeply for his family and was a loyal husband to Anne and later to Pam. He held his children to his own high standards and encouraged them to be independent, critical thinkers. Mike was a "Man's man" and enjoyed sports with his son Jeff. They had season tickets to the Rockets basketball team in Houston for more than 30 years and rarely missed a home game. They played on a softball team together for more than 20 years. Mike was in his 70s when the team broke up. Mike admired his daughter Kim and was a protective father. His most treasured time with Kim was when she attended his last Marine Corps Ball with him. Mike was devastated when Anne passed away from breast cancer after 50 years of marriage. He lost his joy in living after Anne died. After several years, Jeff encouraged him to join an online matchmaking service where he met Pam Buckley, a widow. He and Pam married in 2011 and Mike regained his zest for living. They spent the next seven years taking river cruises and plane trips to various countries in Europe. Mike pursued his bucket list on these trips sky diving, para-sailing, hang gliding, and bungy jumping in New Zealand; surfing and riding ATVs in Hawaii; dog sledding in Alaska; and zip lining in New Zealand, Alaska, and the Caribbean. Mike loved to dance and he and Pam took ballroom dance lessons at the local community center. They attended the Marine Corps Birthday Balls every year for the nine years they were together. When the 2017 Ball was held, Mike badgered his doctors to release him from the hospital so he could attend. They finally agreed and he was able to be there with Pam, Kim and Jeff.

        Mike belonged to the American Legion and several other veterans' organizations. He enjoyed attending reunions of veterans he had served with in the Navy. He was elected to serve as the first president of the Northfork Homeowners Association when the subdivision was new. He spoke up whenever he saw an injustice and saw things through to the end. He was not one to give up, but looked for alternatives in solving problems. His desire to uphold traditions and his ability to take charge of any type of project made him a tremendous asset. He was the type of person who could masterfully organize events and projects and then see to it that they were run in an efficient and timely manner.

            Mike retired from NASA in January 2012 at the age of 78. He wasn't ready to retire, but NASA had downsized and Mike went from 28 members in his group to seven. He was asked to retire and did so unwillingly. In his second retirement, Mike played golf, attended Rockets games, traveled with Pam and took up ballroom dancing. Mike enjoyed his retirement. It provided him with the opportunity to catch up with his friends, attend functions and group outings, and tackle new interesting activities.

      Mike's adventures came to an end in February 2017 when he was diagnosed with T Cell Prolymphocytic Leukemia. During the last 12 months of his life, he fought leukemia with everything he had, enduring transfusions, doctors' visits, hospital stays, and trips to the ER. Mike and Pam built a new house during his illness and he said he felt good about seeing Pam in the house they planned together. Mike is survived by his wife Pamela, his son Jeff Fox, his daughter Kim Hughes, his stepsons Michael and Patrick Buckley, his stepdaughter DeeAnn Buckley, his two grandsons Derek and Devon, his five step grandchildren, Cheyenne Razzano, Cody, Christian and Jordan Buckley, and Shawn Buckley. Services were held at Gateway Community Church. Mike was cremated and his ashes will be placed in a mausoleum in Forest Park East Cemetery next to his first wife, Anne.

      Mike was a man of high standards and solid values. He lived his life with his feet firmly on the ground. He had a strong work ethic, was pragmatic in his thoughts and acts, and constantly sought the means for self-improvement. He was willing to share his ideas and knowledge for the benefit of others, so that they could accomplish more in their lives. Master Chief Max Fox did his best to ensure that his family, friends, loved ones, co-workers, and everyone whose life he touched was given the chance to become a better person.

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Max “Mike” Fox passed away on January 24, 2018 in Webster, Texas after fighting a year-long battle against T- Cell Lymphocytic Leukemia. He was born in Detroit on April 30, 1933 to Morris and Freda Finkelstein. Morris, a Russian immigrant, changed the family name to Fox in 1943 when he became a U.S. citizen. Mike was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Anne, his brothers, Jack and Eddy, and his sister Sylvia. Mike and Anne (Jacobs) Fox were married for 50 years when Anne passed away from breast cancer in 2006.

When Mike was 76 years old, he met the second love of his life, Pamela Buckley, who was a widow. They were married in 2011 and enjoyed the next five years taking river cruises and traveling to the Netherlands, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Italy, Spain, Russia, Switzerland, Eastern Europe, Australia, and New Zealand where Mike bungee jumped, skydived, parasailed, and hang glided. Mike is survived by his wife Pamela, his son Jeff Fox, daughter Kim Fox Hughes (David), of Clear Lake and grandsons Derek Hughes and Devon (Tiffini) Hughes of Clear Lake. Mike is also survived by his stepchildren DeeAnn Buckley of Minnesota, Patrick Buckley of Indiana, and Michael Buckley (Susan) of Virginia. He has five step-grandchildren and three step-great-grandchildren. Mike is also survived by his nephew Allan (Joanne) Getter of San Diego; and cousin, Karen Green (Philip) Simon of New York.

Mike joined the Navy in 1952 and was trained as a combat hospital corpsman, aviation physiologist, and Navy diver. His Navy career spanned 27 years and he rose to the rank of Master Chief. He saw combat duty as a Navy Corpsman in both Korea and Vietnam serving with the 1st Marine Division and the 3rd Marine Division respectively. Following his service in Korea, Mike served aboard the U.S.S. Helena and the U.S.S. Fletcher. Mike left the Navy for a year to attend Wayne State University and box semi-professionally.

Mike married Anne, reenlisted in the Navy, and attended Aviation Medical Technician School in Pensacola, and Advanced Hospital Corps (Independent Duty) School in San Diego. From there he was assigned to the Naval Air Station at Barber’s Point, Hawaii. Mike's son Jeff was born in Hawaii in 1960. In 1962, while serving in Hawaii, Mike became the first corpsman in the Navy to receive an in-field designation of Aviation Physiological Training Technician. This designation played a role in his being selected as one of five corpsmen to be assigned to NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) in Houston in 1965. Mike's daughter Kim was born in Pensacola in 1963.

As a Chief Petty Officer (E-7), Mike was the senior corpsman of the group at NASA. From 1965-1968, Mike helped establish NASA’s human test program. He was the first test subject on the MSC centrifuge and participated in more than 50 centrifuge tests. He still holds the record for 16 gs. He developed the first SCUBA training course for the astronaut corps, trained the astronauts in the use of SCUBA for water operations and served as a safety diver on numerous tests. He provided medical support both for pilot training in the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle (LLTV) and on the Retriever in support of Gemini recovery activities. Mike trained and provided support for the crews of Gemini 4 through Gemini 12 and Apollo 1.

In 1968, the Navy called Mike to Viet Nam to serve as the Leading Chief of the 3rd Medical Battalion Hospital, 3rd Marine Division. The hospital was the largest medical battalion in Vietnam serving as the primary treatment facility for casualties of the 3rd Marine Division.

From 1971-1978, having reached the rank of Master Chief, Mike was assigned to Hawaii where he represented the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet. His duties included arranging for all required medical coverage during splashdown and recovery of Apollo 15, 16, 17 and the Apollo-Soyuz mission.

Mike retired from the Navy in April 1978 and returned to JSC’s Manned Test Support Group (MTSG) as a contractor with Kelsey-Seybold. Mike assisted in the pre and post flight medical exams of the astronauts during the first ten shuttle recoveries. He provided both classroom and altitude chamber physiology training for the astronaut corps, pilots and other JSC personnel. In 1980 Mike designed and taught the JSC First Aid/ CPR course for the astronaut corps. He continued to teach this course until his retirement in 2011. He trained every astronaut in the shuttle program, either through physiology or CPR training.

In 1999 Mike established an AED program at JSC. The initial 11 AEDs at JSC grew to 86 that included White Sands test facility and Star City Russia. This program is credited with saving five lives and has served as the model for other NASA facilities. Mike was appointed the Manager of the Human Test Support Group in 1999 where he continued to work until his retirement in 2011 at the age of 78. During his NASA career, Mike received NASA’s Exceptional Service Medal, the 1994 President’s Special Citation from the Society of NASA Flight Surgeons, and he was the 2003 recipient of the Society of NASA Flight Surgeons’ Honorary Member Award. Mike, his late wife Anne, his son Jeff, and his son-in-law David all received the Silver Snoopy which is the astronauts’ personal achievement award.

Mike loved sports and while in the Navy played on the Navy bowling team, fast pitch softball team, and the boxing team. He enjoyed water skiing, scuba diving, golf, and parachute jumping. Mike played on the same softball team with his son Jeff for more than 25 years. Mike and Jeff also had season tickets to the Rockets games for 33 years. Mike had Boxer dogs for more than 55 years and named all but one Duchess. A scholarship is being established at Wayne State University in honor of Mike. Friends may wish to contribute to the fund in lieu of flowers. Send contributions to the Mike Fox Scholarship Fund in care of Pam Fox, 616 Pertonila Lane, Webster, Texas 77598. Visitation will be held on February 2, 2018 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.at Forest Park East Funeral Home, 21620 Gulf Freeway, Webster, Texas. A Celebration of Life will be held at Gateway Community Church, 760 Clear Lake City Blvd., Houston, Texas on February 3, 2018 at 3:00 p.m.