Hilda Mae Fox

On October 27, 2023, Hilda Mae Fox of Centreville, Virginia passed away peacefully at the age of 94 with family at her side. Hilda was raised in St. Mary’s County, Maryland as one of five children to William Ryan Matthews and Leoma Clarke Matthews Coppage. Her childhood years were spent in St. Mary’s City and Great Mills, MD. Hilda’s childhood family were parishioners of Holy Face Catholic Church and she attended Little Flower School in Great Mills, MD. In 1947 she graduated from St. Michael’s Catholic High School in Ridge, MD as a top student in her class. Following High School, Hilda was trained as a switchboard operator and worked for the Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Company in Great Mills, MD.

In 1951 Hilda married John G. Fox, a young Marine stationed at Naval Air Station-Patuxent River. As a military family, Hilda and John raised six children, primarily in Northern Virginia, but also with prior duty stations in New Jersey, Texas, Maryland, Georgia, Germany, Colorado, Kansas and Hawaii. John, her husband of 63 years retired as a decorated U.S. Army Officer in 1975 following meritorious service in Guam, Korea and Vietnam. John predeceased Hilda in 2014.

Hilda is fondly remembered as a dedicated, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who always made time for her family and friends. She constantly provided support and love for her large family. She and her husband John worked tirelessly to provide opportunities for their children. In her “spare” time Hilda enjoyed bowling, playing the card game of “Pitch” and embarking on vacation cruises with her husband John. She was always up for a good jigsaw puzzle and enjoyed reading. In her younger years Hilda occasionally enjoyed playing her odds against the “one-armed bandit” slot machines when she was feeling lucky!

Hilda was loved dearly by her large family who will miss her greatly.

In addition to her parents and husband John, Hilda is also preceded in death by three brothers, Joseph Ryan (“Buster”), Thomas Douglas (“Doug”), Paul Gregory and a sister, Mary Alice. She is survived by her six children, Cheryl (William) of Raleigh, NC, Sharon (James) of Raleigh, NC, John of Colorado Springs, CO, Charleen of Colorado Springs, CO, Joseph (Jillanne) of Thompson’s Station, TN and Robert (Shari) of Centreville, VA.

She is also survived by fourteen grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren.

Interment will follow at a future date at Arlington National Cemetery where Hilda will be laid to rest with her late-husband Colonel John G. Fox.

In lieu of flowers, Memorial contributions can be made to Little Flower School (Great Mills, MD), Holy Face Church (Great Mills, MD), Catholic Charities or Little Sisters of the Poor (Baltimore Maryland Home).

Final arrangements were made by the Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, Garner, North Carolina.