REVEREND ROBERT L. FOX

Reverend Robert L. Fox, a Roman Catholic Priest in the Diocese of Cheyenne, died on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at Lutheran Hospice in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.  A Vigil Service will be held on Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Church, 400 Country Club Road in Casper, Wyoming.  A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Patrick’s Church in Casper, Wyoming, on Friday, April 14, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.  Burial of the body will be at the Glenrock Cemetery in Glenrock, Wyoming at 1:00 p.m. on Friday April 14th, 2023.  A reception will be held at St. Patrick’s Church Hall in Casper, Wyoming, immediately following the funeral. 

The service will be live-streamed on the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkR6u9v-a36nmhGr80AfsBQ

Robert was born in Rapid City, South Dakota on Monday, December 4, 1950, the third of seven siblings, children of Leo Francis Fox

and Aileen Eva (Graham) Fox.  He grew up in North Rapid, attending St. John the Evangelist Catholic School through 6th grade then North Junior High School.  He graduated from Central High School in 1969.  His first job was at the south side McDonald’s where he began working in 1967.  He continued to work for McDonald’s while attending two years of college at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.  From 1972-1975 he studied Business, Government, and Communications at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, South Dakota.  After receiving his Bachelor of Science he returned to Rapid City.  From 1975 to 1984 he worked as a manager at the McDonald’s stores in Rapid City. 

While working, he studied Communications at Ellsworth Air Force Base in an extension program offered by the University of Northern Colorado.  These studies concluded with a Master of Arts Degree in 1986. 

From 1976 to 1981 he was married to Carol Guthmiller and they had a son, Matthew.  After divorcing, Carol was awarded custody of their son and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. 

In 1984 Robert moved to Madison, Wisconsin to pursue a Master of Science in Social Work which he received in May of 1987.  While in Madison he also took courses in Religious Studies at Edgewood College. 

After this graduation he began working at Outagamie County Social Services in Appleton, Wisconsin as part of a three-person family therapy team.  In 1990 he wanted to be closer to his son who had returned with his mother to Rapid City.  He took a job at Central Wyoming Counseling Center in Casper, Wyoming working as a mental health therapist and then as the coordinator of the Foster Care Program which he helped to develop.  In 1996 he was honored as the Child Welfare Worker of the Year by the State Department of Family Services. 

After receiving an annulment decree and his son’s graduation from high school, Robert was allowed to begin studies that would lead to his ordination as a Catholic Priest.  In 1997 he left Wyoming and returned to Wisconsin for theological formation at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology in Milwaukee.  After graduation he was ordained to the Priesthood on May 21, 2001 by Bishop David L. Ricken at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Casper where he had previously been a parishioner.  His first assignment as a priest was to Holy Name Parish in Sheridan, Wyoming where he served one year before being appointed Pastor of St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Evanston, Wyoming. 

In 2006, Fr. Robert was named the Pastor of Our Lady of Fatima in Casper, Wyoming.  He was actively involved in the process that led to the building St. Anthony Tri-Parish Catholic School on the grounds of our Lady of Fatima Parish.  In 2012 he was given the additional responsibility of being Pastor of St. Louis Parish in Glenrock, Wyoming.  In 2015 he left Casper and his pastorate at Our Lady of Fatima to live and work in Glenrock.  In 2018 Fr. Robert was diagnosed with cancer and after treatments began to fail moved to the Elijah House in Denver, Colorado in June of 2020.  He received a year-long program of radiation and subsequently died peacefully on March 28, 2023. 

He is survived by his son, Matthew and four grandchildren born to Matthew and Lindsy (Christensen) Fox:  Saveah, Zane, Avery, and Jade.  All of his siblings are still living, Pat Carr (husband, Maurice) lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Rev. James Fox is Catholic Priest serving in the Archdiocese of Denver, Rich Fox (wife, Sue) lives in Nemo, South Dakota, Shirlee Aus (her husband Ken is deceased) lives in Victoria, Minnesota, Cecilia Carlson (husband, Phil) lives in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and Carol Lipp (husband, Dean) lives in Missoula Montana. 

In lieu of flowers, Fr. Robert has requested that donations be made to two causes dear to his heart. 

Catholic Charities                                                   St. Joseph’s Society

P.O. Box 907                                                          141 South Center Street, Suite 200

Cheyenne, Wyoming 82003-0907                          Casper, Wyoming 82601-2519

Fr. Robert served on the Board of Catholic Charities for many years and the St. Joseph Society provides for the retirement of priests in the Cheyenne Diocese.

The Gorman Funeral Homes – Converse Chapel of Douglas, Wyoming is in charge of the arrangements.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.gormanfh.com

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