Obituary - Anne Harvey Gwinn Fox

Anne Harvey Gwinn Fox, 87, died peacefully, surrounded by family on May 7, 2023. Anne was born in Huntington, West Virginia, on May 30, 1935. She graduated from St. Anne’s School, attended Wellesley College and graduated from Sweet Briar College.

While at Sweet Briar, she accepted a blind date with a fellow West Virginian, Jay Fox, who attended Washington & Lee University. The result was 63 years of marriage and four children. After Anne and Jay married in 1957, they moved to Richmond where Anne volunteered with several community organizations which included St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church as Altar Guild Chair and Vestry member. She also served on the church’s May Fair House committee and as the Sunday School Director. She was a member of the Junior League of Richmond and served as the 1976 Book & Author Dinner Chair. She was a member of the Council of the VMFA, The Woman’s Club, the Society of Colonial Dames of America and the Country Club of Virginia.

Anne loved the written word, a good story and a good laugh. She was quite a raconteur and she amazed people with her recall of names, faces, places and people – all without having to fidget with a smartphone or a computer. She served for 31 years as a librarian at Collegiate School where she added a personal, human touch to a book world that has gone digital. She will be remembered by faculty, students and friends for her well-timed words and frequent notes of encouragement and congratulations during good times and bad.

Those who received one of her handwritten notes frequently remarked about her beautiful penmanship. However, her most important trait was her genuine concern and care for others whether they were a family member, a friend or a stranger.

Anne was an Anglophile and it was a blessing that she was able to watch the Royal coronation and the Kentucky Derby with family during her last hours.

She was predeceased by her husband, John Joseph Fox, Jr.; her parents, James Anderson Gwinn and Martha Anne Harvey Gwinn; and two brothers, James Anderson Gwinn, Jr. and David Byrd Gwinn.

She was most proud of the accomplishments of her four children, John (Nancy) of Winchester, Va., Sarah Liverance (Bert) of Toronto, Canada, Ted (Paige) of Manakin-Sabot, Va., and Andrew (Amelia) of Ridgefield, Conn.; and her seven grandchildren, Anna Hutto (Matt), Jay, Anne Pearson, Millie, Thomas, Emily and Katelyn.

The family would like to express their gratitude for the loving and compassionate care our Mom received from the wonderful doctors and nursing staff on the fourth floor at St. Mary’s Hospital IMCU during her recent stay. We would also like to thank the entire staff at Cedarfield for making the last ten years so comfortable and enjoyable for her.

Anne’s life will be remembered by a memorial service at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church at 11 a.m., Monday, May 15. A private burial will take place in Hollywood Cemetery prior to the memorial service. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to Collegiate School or the St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church Flower Memorials. The St. Stephen’s service will be livestreamed at ststephensrva.org/memorialstream.