Sharon Elizabeth Fox
Sharon was born on December 30, 1938 in Salina, KS to Dr. Myron W. and Mrs. Grace (Newlon) Fox. Her father was a podiatrist in Salina since 1932. That’s her 1957 SHS graduation photo on the left. The photo on the right is from a scrapbook kept by Betty (Harr) Baxter. The photos can’t show that her hair was red.
During school the Fox family lived at 841 S. 11th, not far from Franklin grade school. They later moved to 214 Greenway Rd.
She is shown in the 1961 graduation list at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL with a BS in Education. Sharon taught in Wyoming before getting an MS degree (school and year unknown at this writing).
In 1970 Sharon got a doctor of education degree from the University of Indiana, Bloomington, IN.
A reference was found that says she was listed in "Leaders in Education", fifth edition, 1974. A “Sharon Fox” is mentioned in the Preface of a 1979 book by Gamica & King, “Language, Children and Society: The Effect of Social Factors on Children to Communicate.” She had been a discussion leader of a 1976 conference at Ohio State on social interaction and language development.
By 1980 she was an Associate Professor at the Ohio State in the Dept. of Educational Theory and Practice.
The Salina Journal of May 8, 1983 says "Dr. and Mrs. Myron Webster Fox, 214 Greenway Rd., announce the approaching marriage of their daughter, Sharon Elizabeth Fox, to Dennis Earl Shoemaker, Columbus, Ohio. … She is a professor at Ohio State University, Columbus. Her fiancé is a Presbyterian minister and former editor of National Presbyterian Trends magazine. He is director of communications at the Presbyterian Synod of the Covenant. A May 28 [1983] wedding at the First Presbyterian Church, Salina, is being planned." Sharon’s friend Virginia (Horn) Stelk says the marriage ended the next year.
A 1984 Ohio State dissertation was written with a “Reading Committee” including “Sharon Fox” and with adviser “Sharon Fox,” Dept. of Educational Theory and Practice.
She moved to Phoenix, AZ (perhaps in 1990) where she was a curriculum developer.
Sharon died January 1, 2000 in Phoenix. Her last residence (since 1993) seems to have been 7232 N. 14th St., Phoenix, AZ 85020. Previous addresses seem to have been 2318 W. Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85015 and 7201 N. 14th St., Phoenix, AZ 85020 (in 1990, which seems to have been that of her sister Audrey.)
Virginia’s comments give further insights:
“Sharon was indeed a very special person in my life. We met in junior high riding the Salina bus. She was a half year older and got a car and license first and started driving me to high school. In 8th grade Algebra, Miss Zimmerman told my mother that Sharon and I talked too much. We friends of Sharon’s called her ‘Foxy.’
“After high school we met up again at Ohio State in Columbus where she was on the faculty. She became my advisor (her choice) and worked with me to receive a MA in Reading. She wrote a text in 1974 titled, Language and the Arts with Johanna S. Desefano. It is available on Amazon.
“She wanted me to get a PhD right away, but family kept me from that. She was married briefly to a Presbyterian Pastor. He was rebounding from his first wife's death from cancer. It only lasted a year or less while she was still in Columbus. After that, she left for the Phoenix area and was a curriculum developer. Her sister, Audrey lived there (Audrey died in 2005).
“Sharon had an impish side and it shows in the smiling photo at the top of the first page.”
For the genealogical record, Sharon was issued the Social Security number 513-42-1276 in June, 1959.
The two photos shown here from Ginny’s scrapbook include Sharon in her school days in Salina.
In the left photo (left to right) are Virginia, Barbara DeWar, and Sharon.
In the photo below are Mary Rita Warren, Sharon, Barbara & Virginia again.
Two photos from Betty’s scrapbook.