Joseph Carroll Fox

Joseph Carroll Fox, 83, of Plano, Texas, passed away peacefully on March 1, 2026, at his home, surrounded by his loving family. Born on February 5, 1943, in Callisburg, Texas, to Joseph “Joe” and Inez (Moore) Fox, Joe lived a life defined by curiosity, adventure, unwavering devotion to his family, and an enduring spirit that touched everyone fortunate enough to know him.

Joe grew up in the small North Texas community of Callisburg, where he developed an adventurous spirit at an early age — earning his pilot’s wings before he ever held a driver’s license. He attended Gainesville High School, graduating in 1961, and it was there that a young Joe Fox met the love of his life, Sally Kay Sullivant, when he was just 15 years old. That chance meeting would set the course of his entire life and a marriage of over 60 years.

A gifted student and athlete, Joe earned a dual scholarship to Texas Tech University to play both baseball and basketball, graduating in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He went on to earn a master’s degree from the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University.

Joe began his professional journey at Collins Radio in Dallas, before moving to Texas Instruments, where he would dedicate more than 25 years of his career. Throughout his remarkable tenure, he steadily advanced into a series of influential leadership positions, culminating in his role as Vice President of International Operations for Consumer Products. He retired from Texas Instruments in 1999, having built a lasting mark on the company and on the global markets he helped develop.

What set Joe apart as a leader was not his title or his accomplishments, but the genuine interest he took in the people around him. He was fiercely loyal to his teams at Texas Instruments, always going the extra mile for everyone with whom he worked with. Joe had a gift for helping people. He was an unseen hand, steadying those around him in ways they often would not discover until long after the moment had passed. This was simply who he was — at work, at home, and everywhere in between.

Joe was a man who never stopped reaching for the next horizon. An avid outdoorsman, he found deep joy in hunting, fishing, and camping. His travels took him across the globe, both for business and for the pure love of exploration. In one of his most remarkable chapters, he trekked the mountains of Nepal twice in service of underprivileged children in the region. At the age of 61, he summited Mount Kilimanjaro — a testament to the determination and vitality he carried throughout his life.

In retirement, Joe returned to his roots in Callisburg, finding great peace on his family’s farm alongside his beloved brothers, Larry and Orville Fox and sister, Linda Malone. There, the three of them shared the simple pleasure of restoring Farmall tractors — including the one their father had once driven. Joe also inherited a passion for cooking from his mother, a gift he shared warmly with his family for years.

Above all else, Joe Fox was a family man. He is survived by his beloved wife, Kay Fox, of Plano, Texas. He was a loving father to Angelee Fox Bouchard, Joseph “Kyle” Fox, and Kristen Kay Ramsey, and a proud father-in-law to Bob Bouchard, Janelle Fox, and John Ramsey. His greatest joy in his later years was the role of grandfather. He loved his eight grandchildren — Preston, Riley, Jack, Avery, Sydney, Matthew, James and Savanna — with boundless pride and affection. He is also survived by his sister, Linda Malone, of Wills Point, Texas, his sister-in-law, Maxine Fox, of Lubbock, Texas, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Inez (Moore) Fox, and his brothers, Orville Fox and Larry Fox.

A burial service will be held at Fairview Cemetery in Gainesville, Texas at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 6, 2026.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made to the American Heart Association in honor of Joseph Carroll Fox at www.heart.org. A man who climbed mountains, crossed oceans, and loved deeply — his spirit will continue forever.