Jere Stevens Fox

He was born in Portland on January 16, 1937, the son of Edward E. and Mildred (LeGrow) Fox. Jere graduated from Falmouth High School in 1955. He attended Nichols College in Dudley, MA, and studied coursework in Forestry at UMASS and Business Management at Harvard.

After graduating college, Jere began working for the family business, N.T. Fox Co. Inc. and worked nights as a police officer for the Falmouth Police Department.

Following the death of his father Edward in 1972, Jere took over as President and CEO of N.T. Fox Co. Inc. (Fox Lumber), founded in 1922 by his grandfather, Nelson Truman Fox and great-uncle Charles Fox. Under Jere’s leadership, the business grew to four locations: Bridgton, Kennebunk, Brunswick, and Portland. He remained in this position until the business closed in 1992.

He later obtained his Real Estate Broker’s license and sold Real Estate and also taught Real Estate courses.

Jere was never one to be idle. He continued working until just a few months ago when he retired from Pine Grove Cemetery in Falmouth where he was President of the Board and Treasurer.

He was a lifelong boater and outdoorsman. As a child, he spent summers at the family’s home on Highland Lake, and in later years at his camp in Rangeley, Maine, where he enjoyed fishing, bird hunting and snowmobiling.

As busy as he was when his children were young, he always took time for family; whether camping, skiing, attending motocross and stock car races to watch his sons compete, or sailboat races to watch his daughters compete.

His passion, however, was boating. A lifelong member of the Portland Yacht Club, he served as Commodore from 1977-1979. Many weekends were spent traveling up the Coast or cruising Casco Bay with friends and family.

Jere was a longtime member of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Falmouth, where he and Elly were married.

Over the years, he was involved with many organizations. Most recent was Pine Grove Cemetery in Falmouth, where he was Board President and Treasurer. In July of 2021, the Cemetery renamed their building the “Jere Fox Office” in gratitude of his years of dedicated service and thoughtful care he took of the grounds.

Other affiliations, to name a few, were Liberty Mutual Insurance Company – Advisory Board, Maine Retail Lumber Dealers Assoc – President, Northeastern Retail Lumber Assoc. Director, Lumbermen’s Merchandising Corp, International Fraternal Order of Lumbermen, 32 Degree Mason, Shrine Member, Lions Club, Kiwanis Club, Falmouth Country Club, Cumberland Club, Falmouth Volunteer Fire Department, Falmouth Fireman’s Association President, and Falmouth Little League.

Jere will long be remembered as a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He touched many lives over his 85 years. Above all was his love and devotion to wife Elly. He made her his priority, and despite his many health challenges in the past several years, he never complained.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Eleanor Fox of Yarmouth, ME; children; Steven Fox and partner Brenda Neal of Gray, ME, Dana Fox of Portland, Stephanie Fox of Rangeley, Angela Fox and husband Carl Higgins of Gray, Andrea Fox Smith and husband Daniel Smith of Falmouth; grandchildren, Adriana Fox Bean and husband Jordan Bean of Clinton, CT, Bennett Smith of Falmouth and Caroline Smith of Falmouth.

The Fox family wishes to extend their sincere appreciation to the doctors and nurses at Maine Medical Center, New England Rehabilitation Hospital and the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House for their professionalism and compassionate care shown to Jere during the past few months.

Visiting hours will be held from 2-4 pm on Saturday, January 7, 2023, at Lindquist Funeral Home, 1 Mayberry Lane, Yarmouth, ME. Burial in the spring will be at Pine Grove Cemetery in Falmouth. Please visit www.lindquistfuneralhome.com to sign Jere’s online guest book.