Jane Fox

Jane Greenlaw Fox, 79, of Denver, CO passed away April 11, 2022 after a courageous battle with Ovarian Cancer. Our beloved wife, Mama Fox, and Grammy will be missed eternally.

Jane was born January 15, 1943 to Claude and Anna Greenlaw in Caribou, ME and spent her childhood growing up in “The County” in Northern Maine.  She is preceded in death by her parents and her two younger sisters, MaryAnn “Mame” Gardner (62) & Anne Greenlaw (2). Jane attended Island Falls High School, and went on to graduate from the University of Maine, Orono with a Bachelors of Arts in Teaching.

From Orono Jane moved to Suffield, Connecticut for her first teaching job.  It was here, at a faculty party in the Fall of 1966 that she would meet the love of her life, Ken Fox.  They were married in Island Falls, ME on August 5, 1967.  They lived in Connecticut until a move to Vermont in 1968.  Here, they both taught in the local high school while restoring the old farmhouse they had bought.  During this time Jane also attended the University of Vermont where she received her Masters in Reading.

In 1976, a Special Education endorsement program brought Jane and Ken to the University of Denver, and after experiencing the Colorado sunshine, never left!  They settled in, making life-long friends along the way and in 1980 welcomed MaryAnna, and in 1985, Katie.  Although originally living right off of City Park, with both Jane and Ken working for Cherry Creek Schools, the foursome soon moved to the ‘burbs.  Jane retired from the Cherry Creek School district in 2006 after more than 30 years with the district, helping to open schools such as Prairie Middle School.  She wore many hats, and her talents had her teaching Special Education and Reading in elementary, high and eventually middle school.

To know Mama Fox was to know her creativity, drive, strength, tenacity, silliness, stubbornness and faith.  Through her battle, she remained steadfast.  An avid crafter, she honed many skills that she learned alongside her sister Mame, such as basket weaving & knitting.  These talents didn’t stop there, and she taught many to sew as well! Jane had a passion for travel that took her around the world with some of her top hits being Costa Rica, Iceland, Alaska, Nepal & Tibet, as well as the immersion Spanish language courses she took in Cuernavaca, Mexico! Beyond teaching & travel, she found her spiritual home in St. Dominic’s Parish in North Denver.  She relished her time in the mountains, and spent many years as part of a close group of “Seekers” who explore the Rockies through hiking and cross-country skiing.  Jane fostered an incredible community and built a ‘framily’ that extends across the globe.

Jane is survived by her beloved husband of 54 years, Kenneth Fox, their two daughters MaryAnna (Tyler Howarth), Katie Fox (Mads Saustrup Fox), and her adoring granddaughter Eleanor Saustrup Fox.  She is also survived by her nieces Susan Gardner and Sara Miller (Dave Miller) and her very special grand-nephew & niece Isaac and Carmen Miller.  In addition, she leaves behind many adored nieces, nephews, in-laws, cousins, and dear friends.

Her family would like to thank her care teams at Kaiser Permanente, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Center, Denver Hospice, and the SCL Palliative Team, especially Dr. Barry Eskins and Jane’s nurse Jennifer. We also want to thank the incredible care team with Denver Hospice.

The funeral mass will be held Tuesday, April 19th @10:00 am at St. Dominic’s Church in Denver.  A reception will be held following the mass.  To help reach all who want to join, the service will be live streamed.  The burial will be this summer in Ft. Fairfield, Maine where she will join her parents and sisters.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jane’s name to Casa de Paz https://www.casadepazcolorado.org/