Hey Jim, its Ken. I just wanted you to know I think about you often. Especially the last few days with you having a birthday. I never had any brothers, but you came as close as possible. I gotta tell you I’m a little irritated at the man up above for not letting us get acquainted earlier in life. Better late than never, I guess.

I like to think about some of our fun adventures. There is a pretty decent list. Remember the time late at night we decided to drive around and see if the old building was still standing that had been a beer joint between Webb City and Carterville when you were young? After we parked the car and was walking around this crumbling building, a Jasper County deputy and his giant German shepherd stopped to see what we were doing. When he hit us with the spotlight, he recognized me from TV. He said what are you doing Ken Ford, doing a news story? I was convinced my “local celebrity-hood” so-to-speak would help us. I said my friend here is from Los Angeles but grew up around here and we were looking at old buildings. When I said Los Angeles, he got all excited and started asking questions like do you go to the beach every day, etc. He completely forgot about me, the TV weatherman.

Thanks for being patient with the guy. You were going home but I knew I might see him again sometime. I keep the Treasure book on my coffee table to remind me of all the good times. I miss you. Ken

Like Mike said, it's been quite a while now since your passing. I still think of you often and I'm reminded of you every time I see the round oak dining table in my house...which still has a couple of your cigarette burns from errant butts. Or when I browse through the thousands of screws and nails you stored in the massive 76-drawer storage unit that I've used almost every day the past several months.

I'm getting older myself, but I still remember you from the dinners the family shared at Mom's house on Vanderhill even after you moved out. The hundred visits I had to your house in Redondo Beach, when we had some of our most intense philosophical discussions (ah, the generation gap). The dozens of nights I spent at your home in Topanga, when I observed the particular way you made a sandwich or watched you watching a movie on TV before nodding off in your favorite chair.

You were an influence. You were an iconoclast. You were troubled and it could be troubling to look into your heart. But you were never boring. You inspired me to think for myself and go against the grain. You helped shape me, for better or worse -- and sometimes I think it is for worse -- but other times I know you helped me stand out in a crowd. 

You gave me some of the intellectual and emotional tools I needed to help manage my life for the better. For that I will be forever grateful. It's part of why you still exist in my heart and sometimes I wonder "what would Dad think of this?!" And sometimes I think I know the answer....

Dad, you've been gone for 8+ years but you are not forgotten. We've missed out on so many discussions. The lack of your presence is still felt in my heart. I don't believe in an after-life, but I still feel connected to you. How I wish we could spend a day together and catch up on life. Thanks again for the gift you left to all your children. I will always remember you. Goodbye for now.

OBITUARY

James Howell Fox

October 30, 1931 – August 31, 2015

Gates, Kingsley & Gates Praiswater Mortuary

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