A Reunion to Remember!

Although I am related to you, some of you may not be sure who I am.
I am Bob Fox, age 70. I live in Virginia Beach, VA and I have been married to Beth Fox for 48 years and I have four children and ten grandchildren. My dad, Bob Fox grew up in Philadelphia, the son of Robert and Ethel Fox ( formerly Ethel Marie Keller). Robert Fox retired from the Philadelphia Police Force. (Some Robert’s nephews founded Fox Piano Movers, still running in Philly)

My Dad is a retired Army1st Sgt ( 22 years, WWII & Korea) and a retired postal worker ( 35 years in Warrenton, VA). My mom is Helen (Cook) Fox–later Helen Cannon after her marriage to Joseph Cannon of Philadelphia. Their son, my brother is Joe Cannon, is a nutrition expert and personal trainer. now living in Delaware.

This email is about a reunion my dad and I just had with the Fernandez Clan that lived across the street from dad and me at 10 Delair Rd, in Town Bank, NJ, not far from the Cape May -Lewis Ferry landing in NJ. I thought you would all enjoy seeing who you are related to and learn more about them.

This is a short video of where I grew up in Town Bank, NJ with Robert & Ann Fox, my grandparents and parents ( Ann was dad’s step-mom) of Bob Fox who is the father of me, Joey (Bob) & Jim Fox, my younger, recently deceased brother.

My great uncle Manuel Fernandez and my Great Aunt, Helen Fernandez, raised five children in that house across the street from me and I knew them all as a child: Kate, Nita, Manny and Pattie and Andrew. My dad, now 90, and I just had a wonderful visit with them and their families in the Cape May area, near Town Bank, NJ. He has not seen some of them in 70 years. I had not seen some in 40 years. It was a beautiful time. A memorable time.

I learned a lot about our family on this trip I never knew! We have amazing people in our family! Pattie Fernandez has fought and beaten stage four cancer! Incredible. She and her siblings prayed and supported each other for years–all the way to victory for Pattie!

Kate Tifft is our jet-set businesswoman who traveled the US and the world doing high-level corporate business with several big companies. One smart cookie!

Manuel Fernandez is an expert kayak instructor with many years of experience guiding people on kayak tours around Cape May. I need to go back and take some lessons from Manny!

Duke Fernandez is an accomplished musician on several instruments and plays in a band! Nitsa, his wife, has always been one of the kindest people I know.

Dori Cluff is such a lover of God and her family. She lives to serve her husband Danny, their four kids–Danny, Dennis, David and Deanna and God. And what a cook! Must have got that from her chef father, Manual. ( Wher is the deviled crab recipe of his!!?)

Andy Barber used to work at the Trump Casino in Atlantic City. The stories he told about life in a casino should be made into a TV series! A tough guy for a very tough job.

Danny Cluff, Dori’s husband, made a career of being a Harbor Pilot on the Delaware River, guiding huge ships to harbor for many years. In his spare time, he became a national champion twice and a state champ 14 times for his skills in shooting clay targets from the sky with a shotgun! He once owned a hunting dog that made it to second place in the national bird dog competitions.

Even their grandkids are amazing. One grandson will certainly be a pro athlete one day.

HERE’S IS MY DAD’S LIFE IN A SLIDE SHOW ON THE OCCASION OF HIS 90TH BIRTHDAY! HE IS A GREAT MAN IN MY EYES!

Warrant Officer Daniel Webster Cluff is Danny Cluff’s dad! Danny married Dori and they the four kids and live in the Cape May area where the reunion was held.

Did you see the movie, The Finest Hour? Danny’s dad was the officer who sent out the small boat to rescue the 32 men on that ship torn in half that the movie depicts. The trailer is here. I guess maritime hero’s run in this family. Danny has probably saved a lot of lives piloting ships safely to harbor on the Delaware. Danny’s son, Danny, is a Captain on the Cape May-Lewis Ferry. Who knew this was part of our family? Wow!

I hope you enjoyed all this. I felt it was important to document this historic reunion. I hope we all can stay in touch more. Family is forever! Feel free to comment by email.

Love to all,

Bob Fox

Alias: Joey Fox, Joseph Fox, Bobby Fox ( I answer to all) 🙂