Rolland Fox: Father of Terry Fox kept his memory alive

Share

Rolly Fox was 45 when his son, Terry, set out on his cross-Canada Marathon of Hope to raise money for cancer research, vaulting the quiet Port Coquitlam, B.C., family into the public eye. In the glare of the spotlight, Rolly Fox was known as the quiet one who let his wife, Betty, do most of the talking.

"Betty was more or less the one that took charge," said Isadore Sharp, the chairman of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, an early supporter of Terry Fox's inspiring quest to cross the country on one good leg and a prosthesis after losing a limb to bone cancer. "Rolly was always there, always supportive, but Betty was the more forceful one in terms of making decisions."

After Betty died in 2011, however, Rolly stepped up to speak out in support of the campaign launched by his son, who died in 1981 at the age of 22. Terry's dream of raising $1 for each person in Canada was realized that year when the donations topped $24-million. Since then, the total has risen to $650-million raised in Terry Fox's name for cancer research, with runs now taking place in dozens of cities around the world, including Abu Dhabi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore, a long-time friend of the family whose father was Terry's high school soccer coach, considers the elder Mr. Fox an inspirational figure for picking up where Betty left off and delivering speeches when public speaking clearly didn't come easily to him.

"For him to step up and do something that was uncomfortable for him showed the type of person that he is because it would have been easy to say he wasn't comfortable with it, and he wanted some of his kids to do it. But he knew it was the right thing to do to show that leadership."

Rolly Fox died of lung cancer on March 8, only two months after his illness was diagnosed. He was 80. The Fox family said he began smoking at the age of 19, "consistent with the times," but quit in 1986 on a dare from a brother.

The family's announcement about Rolly's death said, "Our Dad and Grandpa is no longer telling jokes." The statement said Mr. Fox died while listening to Hank Williams.

As Terry had died from cancer, so did his father. "[Rolly Fox] fulfilled his promise to Terry, facing cancer with courage, grace and plenty of humour," the family said. "He thanked everyone, every time as they left the room after caring for him and each and every family member and friend after a visit."

In a statement following his diagnosis, Rolly spoke of an upside to his medical challenges as he received treatment at the BC Cancer Agency. "I have met many new people over the past few weeks giving me access to a new audience for my humour and old jokes."

The family described Rolly as a "behind the scenes believer of Terry's mission for 36 years," who stepped up his role in recent years, visiting Terry Fox Runs across Canada.

Mr. Moore said Rolly was an effective advocate for the cause. "He was great at it because he was genuine. He didn't try to be the best speech-giver in the world and take lessons to do it. He was Rolly and you could tell he was a little nervous, but that's what made it a great speech."

But there's a sense of a larger role. Betty and Rolly raised their children in a no-nonsense way with good manners that infused the ongoing fight against cancer that the family has inherited and continues to this day. Or, as the family put it, "When Terry died in 1981, Rolly and Betty were forced into roles neither were expecting or educated for, but they had endless passion for their son and inherently understood his values and vision."

Rolland Murray Fox was born March 22, 1935, in Winnipeg, the son of Rodney, a native of Minnesota, and Bertha (née Shale) Fox, from the northeastern British city of Sunderland. He was the third of their nine children. Times were financially tough for the Fox family, so much so that Rolly lived in a church fro two years.

Rodney Fox worked in Winnipeg for the Canadian National Railway and Rolly joined him there in 1954, working as a switchman, embarking on a 36-year career that ended with his retirement in 1990.

Rolly Fox met Betty Lou Wark at Portage and Main in Winnipeg, and married her in 1956. Their first child, Fred, was born the next year, followed by Terry in 1958, Darrell in 1962 and then their only daughter, Judith, in 1965.

Tired of the tough Manitoba winters, Rolly Fox decided to move his family to the milder West Coast. Rolly had had a taste of B.C. life as a child, attending cadet camp in the Fraser Valley community of Abbotsford. In 1966, he gave up 12 years of seniority with the railway to make the move to B.C.

Initially, the Fox family rented a house in Surrey. But in 1968, they bought a home in Port Coquitlam on the north side of the Fraser River about 30 kilometres east of Vancouver. For the next 16 years, through the triumphs and tragedies that brought the Fox family to the national stage, it was their home.

According to the Fox family, in 1977, when Terry was diagnosed with the cancer that cost him his leg, a bitter Rolly said he wished he could change places with him. While Betty had doubts about Terry's plan to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research, "knowing the will of his son, Rolly simply said, 'When?'"

Bill Vigars, who was involved in the original Marathon of Hope as a staff member of the Ontario division of the Cancer Society, recalled Betty and Rolly flying to Toronto in 1980, to surprise their son. "Just to see the smile on his face, the grin and the hug he gave Terry," Mr. Vigars said. "And then, later on at City Hall, when he raised Terry's hand. Two things: One was that great fatherly pride. But the other one was the reaction of Terry. He quickly took it down and was quite embarrassed, and was, 'No. no. Cool it, Dad.'"

Mr. Moore said he will miss Rolly's sense of humour, and his wry, one-liners. He chuckled at one heard at Betty and Rolly's 50th wedding anniversary party. "He said, 'Greg. You know the best thing about your 50th wedding anniversary?' 'What's that?' 'There isn't 50 more.'"

"And he was saying it right in front of Betty. And Betty would give him a whack on the shoulder and he would just laugh away like it was the first time he had ever told the joke. Betty would say, 'Oh Rolly. Stop telling that joke.'"

Mr. Sharp said he last saw Rolly about a year ago at a Terry Fox Run in Toronto.

"He was moving on with his life, knowing he still had responsibility. He was a quiet individual so I don't think he was going to be forthcoming with his personal feelings. He was more standing firm with, 'This is what he had to do, and he was doing it.'"

After Betty died, according to the family, "Rolly went almost overnight from a homebody to a man never at home," and he met Janet Shields, a widow. The pair married in the spring of 2013. "There was no denying Rolly's happiness in the last few years," said the family.

Rolly Fox leaves his wife, Janet, three children, three step-children and nine grandchildren as well as three brothers and three sisters. He was predeceased by his first wife, Betty, to whom he was married for 54 years.

To submit an I Remember: obit@globeandmail.com

Send us a memory of someone we have recently profiled on the Obituaries page. Please include I Remember in the subject field.