Bill Fox Obituary Fox, Bill C. 94, of Spring Park, passed away peacefully at his home on March 16. He was preceded in death by his wife, Katherine Mary Keane. Bill is survived by his sons, Richard (Wendy), Gerald and David (Margene), grandchildren John Fox, Joel Fox, Molly (Nerrie) Zohn, Allison (Alan) Greene, and Charles (Ashley) Fox, and great-grandchildren, Katherine, Sarah, Henry, Elizabeth Stewart, Charles "Buzzy," and Imogen. Bill was born on September 28, 1922, in Forest City, Iowa. He was an enterprising fellow from the start, harvesting and selling fresh horseradish as a child for spending money. After graduating from Forest City High School in 1941, Bill kept up a busy pace at Iowa State; while earning his electrical engineering degree with honors, he was a member of Eta Kappa Nu scholastic fraternity and Phi Kappa Tau social fraternity, and also held jobs on campus to earn his room and board. In 1944 Bill joined the Navy as an electronics officer, and served on the USS Maddox DD713 through 1946. It was the Navy that brought Bill to Boston for training in 1945, where he met Katherine at an officers' mixer. They soon married, and the country boy brought his city bride to Ft. Des Moines, Iowa, to start their family, and to start a new career, with Electrical Engineering Equipment Company. A few more successful posts in Iowa led to a move to Minneapolis, where Bill founded Lakeland Engineering Equipment Company. Bill possessed such strength in finance, technical and people skills that entrepreneurship almost seemed to come easy. Beginning with Lakeland in 1952, Bill and his partners went on to start over a dozen successful companies in the course of his career. His time in the Navy gave Bill a taste for life on the water, and he and Kay were never far from shore. Between the Intracoastal in Naples, Lake Minnetonka in the summers, and travel around the world, Bill always prized a proximity to the water. His sea legs never faltered, and he was a proud boat owner well into his 80s. While Bill may have said that his professional aptitude was his strongest asset, all who knew him believed that his generous nature was what truly set him apart as a man. Bill founded the Bill and Katherine Fox Foundation in 1999, the Lakeland Foundation in 1993, the Lakeland Employee Profit Sharing Trust in 1962, the BC Fox Scholarship at Iowa State in 1999. These organizations have benefited countless individuals as well as medical, social and educational programs across the country. Bill began ringing the bell for the Salvation Army in the late 1980s, matching each day's kettle dollar-for-dollar. Today, Lakeland employees along with Bill's friends, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in five states treasure the tradition he started so modestly at a single Publix in Naples. His family and friends will remember Bill as a devoted husband and father, a snappy dresser, eager dancer, and a generous man. He will be dearly missed. We will celebrate Bill's life on Friday, March 24 at Wayzata Community Church, beginning at 10:30 AM, followed by a reception at The Lafayette Club. A visitation will be held at David Lee Funeral Home on Thursday evening, March 23, from 5-7 PM. In lieu of flowers, please direct memorials to The Salvation Army and Iowa State University.