Ursula Katharina Fox

Ursula Katharina Fox was born on March 28, 1946, to the late Ernest and Friedel Kraft in Nördlingen, Germany where she lived for more than 25 years. She passed in the comfort of her home in Ellicott City, Maryland on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, in the company and care of the people she dearly loved.

Ursula was proud of her beautiful and charming Bavarian hometown of Nördlingen, which sits in the center of a meteor crater formed millions of years ago and stands as one of very few medieval towns still surrounded by a fully intact fortress wall. Her dearest lifelong friend, Gerlinde, survives Ursula in Germany along with Gerlinde's sons, Michael and Oliver, and their beautiful families.

Ursula moved to the US and settled into Ellicott City in the mid-1970s alongside her late husband Joseph Edward “Ed” Fox. She was proud to work in the restaurant industry as a professional server at the iconic Woodworth and Lothrop’s restaurant in The Columbia Mall, MDs Country Pub, and Becks. At each and every restaurant, she adored her customers and colleagues, and they adored her.

In 1995, Ursula met William “Big Bill” Slater, and they were together for over 30 years. They embodied the German concept Lieblingsmensch, meaning a life-long partner at your side. Together they travelled the world, threw fabulous parties, collected wine and art, learned ballroom dancing, and tended their gorgeous garden and koi pond.

Ursula's passion for flowers and plants began early in her beloved father's garden in Germany. As with everything in her life, a little was never enough, and she extended her evergreen thumb to include exotic plants and a greenhouse expansion. It wasn't all gardens though - there was no DIY project or craft or opportunity to paint that Ursula let pass her by. And lots of shopping! All with Bill by her side. She filled her life with copious amounts of sparkle and as much purple as possible. She adored animals, especially bears, cats, dogs, horses, owls, songbirds, deer, butterflies and whales. Ursula was quick to share that her name means Little She-Bear in her native German.

Ursula is survived by her loving partner Bill Slater; his daughters, Trish Slater (Charles, DJ Pelley) and Elizabeth Barnes (Jeff, Madison and Walker Lloyd); and her granddaughter, Rachel Barnes, to whom Ursula was a devoted and ridiculously proud Oma. She leaves a host of friends and loved ones in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Germany, Australia and the Dominican Republic. Friendships were incredibly important to Ursula. She chose her group with care and nurtured each relationship with intention and love no matter the distance or the time that passed between visits.

Bill, Beth, and Trish would like to thank their families and friends for their support during Ursula’s long and difficult journey with Alzheimer's, as well as Dr. Parry Moore of Crossroads Medical, Dr. Milan Sanghavi of Mid-Atlantic Neurology, the Howard County Connections Social Day Program, and the incredible staff at Gilchrist Hospice and Palliative Care, especially Nurses Gretchen, Lindsey and Joe, and Social Worker Kelly, who were incredibly patient, attentive, caring and knowledgeable. We are also grateful to Ursula's full-time, health caregiver, Joanna Young, who was a constant companion for the last year of Ursula's life and gave generously of her heart, skills and experience.

Ursula will be greatly missed and forever remembered. The family will host a private Celebration of Life at 7556 Main Street Bistro at a later date. In the meantime, please follow Ursula's example and enjoy the grand adventures of life as intentionally as the small pleasures of every day, especially if they include a bowl of chocolate ice cream and a glass of good red wine. Prost!

In lieu of flowers, the family request memorial contributions be made to Gilchrist, 11311 McCormick Road, Suite 350, Hunt Valley, MD 21031 https://gilchristcares.org/lifecare-donate