Ruth May Fox
Born: 16 November 1853
Called as First Counselor in the Young Women's General Presidency: April 1905
Called as Young Women's General President: April 1929
Released: 1937
Died: 12 April 1958
Called as First Counselor in the Young Women's General Presidency: April 1905
Called as Young Women's General President: April 1929
Released: 1937
Died: 12 April 1958
Biographical Articles
Biographical Encyclopedia, Volume 4
Young Woman's Journal, June 1905, Ruth May Fox
Young Woman's Journal, May 1929, Ruth May Fox
Relief Society Magazine, July 1929, Ruth May Fox
Improvement Era, November 1934, Ruth May Fox
Instructor, May 1950, Representative Women of the Church - Ruth May Fox
Improvement Era, November 1953, Ruth May Fox - A True Daughter of Zion
Improvement Era, November 1957, A Tribute to Ruth May Fox
Relief Society Magazine, June 1958, In Memoriam - Ruth May Fox
Improvement Era, July 1958, Ruth May Fox
Young Woman's Journal, June 1905, Ruth May Fox
Young Woman's Journal, May 1929, Ruth May Fox
Relief Society Magazine, July 1929, Ruth May Fox
Improvement Era, November 1934, Ruth May Fox
Instructor, May 1950, Representative Women of the Church - Ruth May Fox
Improvement Era, November 1953, Ruth May Fox - A True Daughter of Zion
Improvement Era, November 1957, A Tribute to Ruth May Fox
Relief Society Magazine, June 1958, In Memoriam - Ruth May Fox
Improvement Era, July 1958, Ruth May Fox
Jenson, Andrew. "Fox, Ruth May." Biographical Encyclopedia. Volume 4. pg. 259.
FOX, Ruth May, general president of the Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association, was born Nov. 16, 1853, in Westbury, Wilshire, England, the daughter of James May and Mary Ann Harding. She emigrated to America in 1865 and crossed the plains in 1867 by ox-team in Capt. Leonard Rice's Company, which was outfitted at North Platte. Her first position in the Church was Sunday School teacher in the 14th Ward, Salt Lake City, at the age of 17. Since then she has worked in the Church almost continuously. When the Primary Association was first organized in the 14th Ward she served as counselor to Clara C. Cannon. Later, she became president, serving for 19 years. From 1895 to 1904 she was president of the 14th Ward Y. L. M. I. A. In 1898 she was called as an aid to the General Board, was chosen as first counselor to Pres. Martha H. Tingey and in March, 1929, became general president, succeeding Sister Tingey. She served as a missionary on Temple Square for 25 years. Sister Fox is the mother of twelve children, viz., Jesse May, Eliza May (deceased), George James, Ruth Clare (Taylor), Feramorz Young, Hyrum Lester, Esther Vida (Clawson), Frank Harding, Lucy Beryl (Evenson), Leonard Grant, Florence (Mackay), and Emeline Blanche (deceased).
FOX, Ruth May, general president of the Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association, was born Nov. 16, 1853, in Westbury, Wilshire, England, the daughter of James May and Mary Ann Harding. She emigrated to America in 1865 and crossed the plains in 1867 by ox-team in Capt. Leonard Rice's Company, which was outfitted at North Platte. Her first position in the Church was Sunday School teacher in the 14th Ward, Salt Lake City, at the age of 17. Since then she has worked in the Church almost continuously. When the Primary Association was first organized in the 14th Ward she served as counselor to Clara C. Cannon. Later, she became president, serving for 19 years. From 1895 to 1904 she was president of the 14th Ward Y. L. M. I. A. In 1898 she was called as an aid to the General Board, was chosen as first counselor to Pres. Martha H. Tingey and in March, 1929, became general president, succeeding Sister Tingey. She served as a missionary on Temple Square for 25 years. Sister Fox is the mother of twelve children, viz., Jesse May, Eliza May (deceased), George James, Ruth Clare (Taylor), Feramorz Young, Hyrum Lester, Esther Vida (Clawson), Frank Harding, Lucy Beryl (Evenson), Leonard Grant, Florence (Mackay), and Emeline Blanche (deceased).
"Ruth May Fox." Young Woman's Journal. June 1905. pg. 261-263.
RUTH MAY FOX.
She was a little, motherless girl. And her father loved her devotedly and did the best he could for her. But, unknown to him, she was often in danger. He knew she was well housed and fed, and she did not tell him of the evils to which she was exposed. But the Lord watched over her and preserved her from harm.
All this time her father was teaching her the truth that he had learned. He taught her faith in God, and she had implicit trust in Him. He taught her the word of wisdom so well that she has never been able to disobey it. He taught her to be truthful and honest, to share with another and always to give that other first choice; to suffer wrong rather than to do wrong.
And the effect of these teachings can be plainly seen in the character of Ruth May Fox today. You who have not known her intimately can scarcely realize the depth of her humility, for her flashing wit and indomitable will make us look elsewhere for that quality. Yet she has it to the greatest degree and coupled with it is a dauntless courage. A strange mixture it seems, yet it exists in this woman. Under different circumstances she might have been peerless and proud—too proud! But the Gospel has moulded her and taught her when to bend. As it is she has too much pride to do a wrong, if she knows it. And neither fire nor flood would hinder when the Lord has marked her way.
Ruth May was born in Wiltshire, England, in 1853. She is the daughter of James and Mary Ann May. Her parents joined the church shortly before her birth. Her mother died when she was sixteen months old. Until eight years of age she lived in her native town. Then her father was made a traveling Elder and took her with him. Two years later he left for Philadelphia, where she joined him, a year after. Here her father married an English widow with one daughter, with whom Ruth had crossed the ocean.
Mr. May was an expert carder, so he easily secured work in Philadelphia. Ruth also helped to earn money with which to emigrate to Utah. She worked in the cotton factory for a time and also with a dressmaker. In 1867 the family started west by ox team, but the greater part of the way was traveled on foot. After arriving in Salt Lake Valley, she worked in the woolen mills.
In 1872 she was married to Jesse W. Fox, Jr. She is the mother of six sons and six daughters, all living except the eldest daughter.
Her first public work was as counselor to Clara C. Cannon in the Primary Association of the Fourteenth Ward of Salt Lake City. This position she held for nineteen years.
In 1895 she became president of the Y. L. M. I. A. of the same ward, retaining that position until the fall of 1904. She has been an active worker in the Suffrage Association, a member of the Woman’s Press Club, a director of the Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing Society, and a worker in the Church Bureau of Information.
May 2nd, 1898, she became an Aid to the General Board of the Y. L. M. I. A. December 19, 1898, when a committee was appointed to draw up plans for the traveling library, Sister Fox was made chairman of the committee, which position she still holds. She has the love and confidence of all members of the General Board, who recognize in her promotion the just reward of merit.
Her education has been obtained under difficulties. She attended school in England until eleven years of age. After coming to Utah she spent six months at a district school and four months at the "Morgan College.” She says, "Had I realized it, I could have done much more studying in my early married life, but it was fifteen years before I awoke to that fact.” She acknowledges the help and encouragement of Emmeline B. Wells as having been of great value to her in her studies. She completed a course in English through the Scranton School of Correspondence. Her poems published in the Journal from time to time, give evidence of the progress she has made.
In the Mutual Improvement work, Sister Fox has always been faithful and efficient. At the same time, she has not shirked home work. I once heard her husband, lovingly calling her by her pet name, remark, "I wish we had a girl that liked work like Polly does.” And she answered, "Our girls are all right. They are young yet.”
No obstacle ever hindered Sister Fox long from the performance of a duty. She has clung to the promise, “The Lord shall make thee equal unto every task.” And He has done so.
It is a beautiful picture of her I have in mind, as she said, looking every inch a queen, “I would rather be an active member in the Church of Jesus Christ than to be Queen of England and Empress of India.”
RUTH MAY FOX.
She was a little, motherless girl. And her father loved her devotedly and did the best he could for her. But, unknown to him, she was often in danger. He knew she was well housed and fed, and she did not tell him of the evils to which she was exposed. But the Lord watched over her and preserved her from harm.
All this time her father was teaching her the truth that he had learned. He taught her faith in God, and she had implicit trust in Him. He taught her the word of wisdom so well that she has never been able to disobey it. He taught her to be truthful and honest, to share with another and always to give that other first choice; to suffer wrong rather than to do wrong.
And the effect of these teachings can be plainly seen in the character of Ruth May Fox today. You who have not known her intimately can scarcely realize the depth of her humility, for her flashing wit and indomitable will make us look elsewhere for that quality. Yet she has it to the greatest degree and coupled with it is a dauntless courage. A strange mixture it seems, yet it exists in this woman. Under different circumstances she might have been peerless and proud—too proud! But the Gospel has moulded her and taught her when to bend. As it is she has too much pride to do a wrong, if she knows it. And neither fire nor flood would hinder when the Lord has marked her way.
Ruth May was born in Wiltshire, England, in 1853. She is the daughter of James and Mary Ann May. Her parents joined the church shortly before her birth. Her mother died when she was sixteen months old. Until eight years of age she lived in her native town. Then her father was made a traveling Elder and took her with him. Two years later he left for Philadelphia, where she joined him, a year after. Here her father married an English widow with one daughter, with whom Ruth had crossed the ocean.
Mr. May was an expert carder, so he easily secured work in Philadelphia. Ruth also helped to earn money with which to emigrate to Utah. She worked in the cotton factory for a time and also with a dressmaker. In 1867 the family started west by ox team, but the greater part of the way was traveled on foot. After arriving in Salt Lake Valley, she worked in the woolen mills.
In 1872 she was married to Jesse W. Fox, Jr. She is the mother of six sons and six daughters, all living except the eldest daughter.
Her first public work was as counselor to Clara C. Cannon in the Primary Association of the Fourteenth Ward of Salt Lake City. This position she held for nineteen years.
In 1895 she became president of the Y. L. M. I. A. of the same ward, retaining that position until the fall of 1904. She has been an active worker in the Suffrage Association, a member of the Woman’s Press Club, a director of the Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing Society, and a worker in the Church Bureau of Information.
May 2nd, 1898, she became an Aid to the General Board of the Y. L. M. I. A. December 19, 1898, when a committee was appointed to draw up plans for the traveling library, Sister Fox was made chairman of the committee, which position she still holds. She has the love and confidence of all members of the General Board, who recognize in her promotion the just reward of merit.
Her education has been obtained under difficulties. She attended school in England until eleven years of age. After coming to Utah she spent six months at a district school and four months at the "Morgan College.” She says, "Had I realized it, I could have done much more studying in my early married life, but it was fifteen years before I awoke to that fact.” She acknowledges the help and encouragement of Emmeline B. Wells as having been of great value to her in her studies. She completed a course in English through the Scranton School of Correspondence. Her poems published in the Journal from time to time, give evidence of the progress she has made.
In the Mutual Improvement work, Sister Fox has always been faithful and efficient. At the same time, she has not shirked home work. I once heard her husband, lovingly calling her by her pet name, remark, "I wish we had a girl that liked work like Polly does.” And she answered, "Our girls are all right. They are young yet.”
No obstacle ever hindered Sister Fox long from the performance of a duty. She has clung to the promise, “The Lord shall make thee equal unto every task.” And He has done so.
It is a beautiful picture of her I have in mind, as she said, looking every inch a queen, “I would rather be an active member in the Church of Jesus Christ than to be Queen of England and Empress of India.”
Brandley, Elsie T. "Ruth May Fox." Young Woman's Journal. May 1929. pg. 312-315.
Ruth May Fox
Ry Elsie T. Brandley
IN a meeting of the Presidency and Twelve, it was decided that the successor to Sister Tingey, as president of the Young Ladies’ Improvement Associations was to be Ruth May Fox.” These words of President Heber J. Grant were followed by a moment of silence—the silence which bespeaks hearts too full for expression. The announcement came as a surprise, for Sister Fox herself had heard no prior word of it: but it was the sort of surprise which carries with it the glad assurance that all is well. Sister Fox expressed the general sentiment when she said, “The Lord has always done better for me than I could have done for myself.” All who know her feel that no better arrangement could have been made.
To Sister Fox there is a quality of agelessness. She is like Peter Pan— the one who would never grow old. Years have been added unto her, but they have subtracted nothing from her. Physically, mentally, spiritually, she is vitally strong and alert. In appearance she is always trim and attractive; in deliberations and discussions, always analytical and thorough; in faith and ideals, always lofty and sincere.
A little poem handed to her by President Grant upon the occasion of the above announcement is eloquent:
Age is a quality of mind;
If your dreams you’ve left behind
If hope is cold,
If you no longer look ahead.
If your ambition’s fires are dead--
Then you are old.
But if from life you take the best
And if in life you keep the zest,
If love you hold;
No matter how the years go by.
No matter how the birthdays fly,
You are not old.
Ruth May Fox was born in Wiltshire, England, the daughter of James and Mary Ann May. While still an infant, her mother died, and for about six years the little girl’s home was changed from place to place, until finally her father was able to take her with him. During these later years Ruth’s father taught her the principles of the Gospel which he and his wife had embraced soon after the birth of their daughter—unwavering faith in God; the Word of Wisdom; truth and honor; determination to suffer wrong rather than to sin; generosity and tolerance. He loved her, and gave her the best care he could, but in spite of his concern for her welfare the little girl was thrown in contact with coarse and evil influences which were offset only by her innate goodness and strength of character, coupled with the guardianship of the spirit of the Lord.
At the age of twelve or thereabouts, Ruth sailed to join her father in America, where he had located in Philadelphia and secured employment in his line of carding. An English widow who with her daughter, of Ruth’s own age, had crossed the ocean on the same boat, married Mr. May, according to plan, and Ruth was given the association of mother and sister.
The family was united in their desire to go to Utah and dwell among people of their own faith, and all worked zealously toward this end. In 1867 their migration was begun by ox team, but most of the journey was made on foot. They arrived in the valleys of the mountains in the same year where they took up the routine and hardships incident to pioneer life with thankful hearts.
In May, 1872, she was married to Jesse W. Fox, Jr., and their golden wedding anniversary was celebrated about six years before the death of the husband, which occurred in Dec. 1928.
Sister Fox commenced her public work early, having been connected with the Primary Association of the 14th Ward in Salt Lake City for nineteen years, the latter part of which she also filled the office of Y. L. M. I. A. President in that ward, which position she held until the autumn of 1904. She held office in the Woman’s Suffrage associations of the county, territory and state, and was a member of the committee which drafted the request that the constitutional convention include the franchise for women in the constitution of the State of Utah. She was a charter member of the Woman’s Press Club in which organization she subsequently held every office from treasurer to president. She was also a charter member of the Reapers’ Club, organized for the purpose of promoting cultural and educational development among the Latter-day Saint women. By Governor Wells she was appointed a director of the Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing Society, in which capacity she served for eight years. Since the establishment of the Bureau of Information in 1902 she has given freely of her time to guide tourists about the grounds and explain to them points of interest regarding the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In 1898 she was called to the General Board of Y. 'L. M. I. A., and since that time she has given unceasingly of her energy and interest to this work. She it was who suggested and set about to establish the traveling libraries of the organization, which movement has developed and grown into the Reading Course idea, now a significant feature of the M. I. A. program. In 1903 she represented the Y. L. M. I. A. at the executive session of the National Council of Women, held in New Orleans, and since that time has several times attended sessions of the Council, and held office as General Auditor in that organization for six years. She has visited practically every stake in the Church and given to the members information and inspiration to help them in carrying out the work assigned them.
In 1905, upon the appointment of Martha H. Tingey as president of the Y. L. M. I. A., Ruth May Fox was selected as first counselor, which office she filled with devotion and intelligent sincerity up to the time of her call to become president on March 28, 1929.
The fact that she had comparatively little opportunity for regular schooling has not interfered with her development. Naturally desirous of knowledge, and quick to learn she has acquired for herself an education superior in many respects to that of others who have had greater advantages. One of her daughters says that her most vivid recollections of her mother picture her trimming the edges from the numerous pies necessary for the dessert of a large family; sitting at the sewing machine, humming an earnest obligato as she sped along; or snatching a few moments at the end of the day to devote to reading. She has kept in touch with the studies of her children and taken a correspondence course in English, the latter no doubt to aid her in the writing for which she has unquestionable talent. Her poems are known and loved throughout the intermountain west, and the little volume “May Blossoms” carries in its rhymed pages the fine, sweet spirit of the woman who wrote it.
With such a record of achievement one might excusably conclude that Ruth May Fox had chosen a public career rather than one of home-making, but this conclusion is not borne out by fact. She is the mother of twelve children—six sons and six daughters—ten of whom are living, and their lives are built along lines which reflect honor upon their parents and early training. Feramorz Y. Fox, President of the L. D. S. College, and Vida F. Clawson of the General Board of Y. L. M. I. A. are perhaps of her children the most widely known, but the others are filling creditably their places in various communities. “By their fruits ye shall know them,” and she would be known and admired for the sake of her children even if she had not made herself loved for her own.
If an attempt were made to list the attributes of an ideal woman, the result would be a description of Ruth M. Fox. for she embodies a combination of qualities not commonly found in one person: scrupulous personal integrity—and charity for the weaknesses of others; independence—and willing submission to authority: strength of will—and deep humility; sudden flashes of keen wit — and all-encompassing kindliness toward all; courage, and warm generosity; pride which is beautiful because it is pride in the things which are right. All of these are a part of her outstanding personality, but paramount to the definable characteristics are the more elusive ones which make her so lovably human—an understanding heart, and unbounded, unquestioning faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
All who know her love her, and those who know her best love her most.
Ruth May Fox
Ry Elsie T. Brandley
IN a meeting of the Presidency and Twelve, it was decided that the successor to Sister Tingey, as president of the Young Ladies’ Improvement Associations was to be Ruth May Fox.” These words of President Heber J. Grant were followed by a moment of silence—the silence which bespeaks hearts too full for expression. The announcement came as a surprise, for Sister Fox herself had heard no prior word of it: but it was the sort of surprise which carries with it the glad assurance that all is well. Sister Fox expressed the general sentiment when she said, “The Lord has always done better for me than I could have done for myself.” All who know her feel that no better arrangement could have been made.
To Sister Fox there is a quality of agelessness. She is like Peter Pan— the one who would never grow old. Years have been added unto her, but they have subtracted nothing from her. Physically, mentally, spiritually, she is vitally strong and alert. In appearance she is always trim and attractive; in deliberations and discussions, always analytical and thorough; in faith and ideals, always lofty and sincere.
A little poem handed to her by President Grant upon the occasion of the above announcement is eloquent:
Age is a quality of mind;
If your dreams you’ve left behind
If hope is cold,
If you no longer look ahead.
If your ambition’s fires are dead--
Then you are old.
But if from life you take the best
And if in life you keep the zest,
If love you hold;
No matter how the years go by.
No matter how the birthdays fly,
You are not old.
Ruth May Fox was born in Wiltshire, England, the daughter of James and Mary Ann May. While still an infant, her mother died, and for about six years the little girl’s home was changed from place to place, until finally her father was able to take her with him. During these later years Ruth’s father taught her the principles of the Gospel which he and his wife had embraced soon after the birth of their daughter—unwavering faith in God; the Word of Wisdom; truth and honor; determination to suffer wrong rather than to sin; generosity and tolerance. He loved her, and gave her the best care he could, but in spite of his concern for her welfare the little girl was thrown in contact with coarse and evil influences which were offset only by her innate goodness and strength of character, coupled with the guardianship of the spirit of the Lord.
At the age of twelve or thereabouts, Ruth sailed to join her father in America, where he had located in Philadelphia and secured employment in his line of carding. An English widow who with her daughter, of Ruth’s own age, had crossed the ocean on the same boat, married Mr. May, according to plan, and Ruth was given the association of mother and sister.
The family was united in their desire to go to Utah and dwell among people of their own faith, and all worked zealously toward this end. In 1867 their migration was begun by ox team, but most of the journey was made on foot. They arrived in the valleys of the mountains in the same year where they took up the routine and hardships incident to pioneer life with thankful hearts.
In May, 1872, she was married to Jesse W. Fox, Jr., and their golden wedding anniversary was celebrated about six years before the death of the husband, which occurred in Dec. 1928.
Sister Fox commenced her public work early, having been connected with the Primary Association of the 14th Ward in Salt Lake City for nineteen years, the latter part of which she also filled the office of Y. L. M. I. A. President in that ward, which position she held until the autumn of 1904. She held office in the Woman’s Suffrage associations of the county, territory and state, and was a member of the committee which drafted the request that the constitutional convention include the franchise for women in the constitution of the State of Utah. She was a charter member of the Woman’s Press Club in which organization she subsequently held every office from treasurer to president. She was also a charter member of the Reapers’ Club, organized for the purpose of promoting cultural and educational development among the Latter-day Saint women. By Governor Wells she was appointed a director of the Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing Society, in which capacity she served for eight years. Since the establishment of the Bureau of Information in 1902 she has given freely of her time to guide tourists about the grounds and explain to them points of interest regarding the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In 1898 she was called to the General Board of Y. 'L. M. I. A., and since that time she has given unceasingly of her energy and interest to this work. She it was who suggested and set about to establish the traveling libraries of the organization, which movement has developed and grown into the Reading Course idea, now a significant feature of the M. I. A. program. In 1903 she represented the Y. L. M. I. A. at the executive session of the National Council of Women, held in New Orleans, and since that time has several times attended sessions of the Council, and held office as General Auditor in that organization for six years. She has visited practically every stake in the Church and given to the members information and inspiration to help them in carrying out the work assigned them.
In 1905, upon the appointment of Martha H. Tingey as president of the Y. L. M. I. A., Ruth May Fox was selected as first counselor, which office she filled with devotion and intelligent sincerity up to the time of her call to become president on March 28, 1929.
The fact that she had comparatively little opportunity for regular schooling has not interfered with her development. Naturally desirous of knowledge, and quick to learn she has acquired for herself an education superior in many respects to that of others who have had greater advantages. One of her daughters says that her most vivid recollections of her mother picture her trimming the edges from the numerous pies necessary for the dessert of a large family; sitting at the sewing machine, humming an earnest obligato as she sped along; or snatching a few moments at the end of the day to devote to reading. She has kept in touch with the studies of her children and taken a correspondence course in English, the latter no doubt to aid her in the writing for which she has unquestionable talent. Her poems are known and loved throughout the intermountain west, and the little volume “May Blossoms” carries in its rhymed pages the fine, sweet spirit of the woman who wrote it.
With such a record of achievement one might excusably conclude that Ruth May Fox had chosen a public career rather than one of home-making, but this conclusion is not borne out by fact. She is the mother of twelve children—six sons and six daughters—ten of whom are living, and their lives are built along lines which reflect honor upon their parents and early training. Feramorz Y. Fox, President of the L. D. S. College, and Vida F. Clawson of the General Board of Y. L. M. I. A. are perhaps of her children the most widely known, but the others are filling creditably their places in various communities. “By their fruits ye shall know them,” and she would be known and admired for the sake of her children even if she had not made herself loved for her own.
If an attempt were made to list the attributes of an ideal woman, the result would be a description of Ruth M. Fox. for she embodies a combination of qualities not commonly found in one person: scrupulous personal integrity—and charity for the weaknesses of others; independence—and willing submission to authority: strength of will—and deep humility; sudden flashes of keen wit — and all-encompassing kindliness toward all; courage, and warm generosity; pride which is beautiful because it is pride in the things which are right. All of these are a part of her outstanding personality, but paramount to the definable characteristics are the more elusive ones which make her so lovably human—an understanding heart, and unbounded, unquestioning faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
All who know her love her, and those who know her best love her most.
"Ruth May Fox." Relief Society Magazine. July 1929. pg. 359-360.
Ruth May Fox
Ruth May Fox is General President of the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Association. Her selection as head of the organization is eminently fitting, for she is an unusual woman. Not alone sympathy for but almost the fire of youth has been burning within her soul through the many years of her association with the presidency of the Y. L. M. I. A. Enthusiasm is a necessary part of all work that contacts the human family; in her life, President Fox has carried forward an amount of enthusiasm that is almost amazing. The new president exhibits a striking combination of the practical and the ideal. Blessed with a large family of children, she has been a good, practical mother and an efficient homemaker. To this work she has added that transforming touch of the ideal which is apparent in the poems she writes and in the quality of her spirituality. Full of faith, full of belief in the triumph of right, she has a mental attitude which finds its growth in a perfect trust in our Father and in his plans for the righteousness and salvation of his children.
Associated with President Fox as counselors are Lutie Grant Cannon and Clarissa A. Beesley. Mrs. Cannon is a woman of much sweetness, of outstanding intellectual gifts, of broad sympathy and very noticeable refinement. She is deservedly beloved by the young people of the Church. Miss Beesley, in her duties as secretary, has had the opportunity to learn much concerning the workings of the organization. Every day of her life has been a day of experience in Mutual work, a day of collecting data in relation to it. She is known throughout the Church for her efficiency and ability to put over work successfully and in good season.
We can think of no wiser choice for the onward march of the work than that made by President Fox in the selection of her counselors. The Relief Society rejoices in their appointment; it wishes them every success, asking in all earnestness that the richest blessings of heaven may attend them in their labor of progress and of love.
Ruth May Fox
Ruth May Fox is General President of the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Association. Her selection as head of the organization is eminently fitting, for she is an unusual woman. Not alone sympathy for but almost the fire of youth has been burning within her soul through the many years of her association with the presidency of the Y. L. M. I. A. Enthusiasm is a necessary part of all work that contacts the human family; in her life, President Fox has carried forward an amount of enthusiasm that is almost amazing. The new president exhibits a striking combination of the practical and the ideal. Blessed with a large family of children, she has been a good, practical mother and an efficient homemaker. To this work she has added that transforming touch of the ideal which is apparent in the poems she writes and in the quality of her spirituality. Full of faith, full of belief in the triumph of right, she has a mental attitude which finds its growth in a perfect trust in our Father and in his plans for the righteousness and salvation of his children.
Associated with President Fox as counselors are Lutie Grant Cannon and Clarissa A. Beesley. Mrs. Cannon is a woman of much sweetness, of outstanding intellectual gifts, of broad sympathy and very noticeable refinement. She is deservedly beloved by the young people of the Church. Miss Beesley, in her duties as secretary, has had the opportunity to learn much concerning the workings of the organization. Every day of her life has been a day of experience in Mutual work, a day of collecting data in relation to it. She is known throughout the Church for her efficiency and ability to put over work successfully and in good season.
We can think of no wiser choice for the onward march of the work than that made by President Fox in the selection of her counselors. The Relief Society rejoices in their appointment; it wishes them every success, asking in all earnestness that the richest blessings of heaven may attend them in their labor of progress and of love.
Boyer, Claire Stewart. "Ruth May Fox." Improvement Era. November 1934. pg. 653.
RUTH MAY FOX
By CLAIRE STEWART BOYER
From the warp and woof of days and nights woven into weeks and months and years upon which golden moments form the design we all make our lives—some shorty some long. Ruth May Fox, President of the Young Women’s Mutual Improvement Association has been busy for many glorious faith-filled years. Claire Stewart Boyer a poetess of insight gives us this interpretation.
(An Interpretation)
SHE sat at her loom, a child of Fate,
Weaving the cloth of necessity.
But with the hours a pattern grew.
And her heart was high with melody.
At the loom of life she has held her place
With the winsomeness of nobility,
And through the rich, divining years
She has wrought a radiant tapestry.
BACK and forth flew the shuttle, and because activity was so fascinating I scarcely saw the creation upon the loom. Suddenly the wonder of the whole, its structure, its color, its harmony, its purpose appalled me. I had been seeing a woman busy each day with the concerns of material and design, with the strategy of warp and woof and I had failed to see the product —a life of color, harmony and purpose.
But now it stretched itself before me as a tapestry on the wall of a temple and its beauties began to reveal themselves. There was a halo of shining white faith about the whole that glorified it. Faith has a way of etherealizing from one life and passing gently into the threads of other lives, making them more chaste and satisfying. But faith, crystallized in shining words, gives radiance, radiance to the giver and to the receiver.
After the first full splendor of the tapestry was mine, I looked more closely at its fabric. The warp was of classic restraint, true and strong. It had been in the family's possession for generations. There was a quiet dignity about it that seemed to say, I watched, I waited, I served so that the whole could be consistent and dependable.
For days and weeks and years the shuttle had rushed over and under the strands, weaving its spirited woof of joy. A design that arose from revelation began to shape itself. In pure blue of open-mindedness, and rose of gratitude it blended into a royal harmony. Balance and symmetry made the pattern more pleasing. Conservative some might call it, but it elevated the soul. And through it all danced the rhythm of a singing heart.
The sheen of the morning was upon its surface and the delicacy of twilight was its texture.
"Rare fabric," one would say, "tapestry holding ancient truth in modern form."
"Vibrant," another might suggest, "pulsing with qualities that can never dull or tarnish."
"A symbol for all weavers," might be a just conclusion.
In a coming number of The Improvement Era President Fox will tell the story of her own walking across the Plains.
RUTH MAY FOX
By CLAIRE STEWART BOYER
From the warp and woof of days and nights woven into weeks and months and years upon which golden moments form the design we all make our lives—some shorty some long. Ruth May Fox, President of the Young Women’s Mutual Improvement Association has been busy for many glorious faith-filled years. Claire Stewart Boyer a poetess of insight gives us this interpretation.
(An Interpretation)
SHE sat at her loom, a child of Fate,
Weaving the cloth of necessity.
But with the hours a pattern grew.
And her heart was high with melody.
At the loom of life she has held her place
With the winsomeness of nobility,
And through the rich, divining years
She has wrought a radiant tapestry.
BACK and forth flew the shuttle, and because activity was so fascinating I scarcely saw the creation upon the loom. Suddenly the wonder of the whole, its structure, its color, its harmony, its purpose appalled me. I had been seeing a woman busy each day with the concerns of material and design, with the strategy of warp and woof and I had failed to see the product —a life of color, harmony and purpose.
But now it stretched itself before me as a tapestry on the wall of a temple and its beauties began to reveal themselves. There was a halo of shining white faith about the whole that glorified it. Faith has a way of etherealizing from one life and passing gently into the threads of other lives, making them more chaste and satisfying. But faith, crystallized in shining words, gives radiance, radiance to the giver and to the receiver.
After the first full splendor of the tapestry was mine, I looked more closely at its fabric. The warp was of classic restraint, true and strong. It had been in the family's possession for generations. There was a quiet dignity about it that seemed to say, I watched, I waited, I served so that the whole could be consistent and dependable.
For days and weeks and years the shuttle had rushed over and under the strands, weaving its spirited woof of joy. A design that arose from revelation began to shape itself. In pure blue of open-mindedness, and rose of gratitude it blended into a royal harmony. Balance and symmetry made the pattern more pleasing. Conservative some might call it, but it elevated the soul. And through it all danced the rhythm of a singing heart.
The sheen of the morning was upon its surface and the delicacy of twilight was its texture.
"Rare fabric," one would say, "tapestry holding ancient truth in modern form."
"Vibrant," another might suggest, "pulsing with qualities that can never dull or tarnish."
"A symbol for all weavers," might be a just conclusion.
In a coming number of The Improvement Era President Fox will tell the story of her own walking across the Plains.
Romney, Thomas C. "Representative Women of the Church - Ruth May Fox." Instructor. May 1950. pg. 130-131, 134.
Representative Women of the Church RUTH MAY FOX Thomas C. Romney EIGHTY-FIVE years ago a little English lass, Ruth May, left the shores of England, where she was born November 16, 1853, en route to America to join her father, who had preceded her by a few months and was located at Philadelphia, where he was employed as an expert carder. To the New World Well does Ruth remember the scene that met her gaze as she stood on the deck of the ocean liner that was about to leave for the New World bearing its cargo of human freight. Hundreds of people were standing on the wharf, and as the big ship weighed anchor and was ready to put out to sea, there was a waving of handkerchiefs while from the throats of the multitude burst forth a hearty, "God bless you," and tears glistened in the eyes of many who feared this might be the final parting with loved ones in mortality. Nor has she forgotten those dreary weeks at sea when as a steerage passenger she occupied as a bed a large shelf or platform; and she was served a monotonous menu consisting of soup, rice, hardtack and sour biscuits three times each day. At times the sea was tempestuous and she would have been frightened had she not been told that never had a ship been known to go down with Mormons aboard. When the ship came to dock in the New World, the father of Ruth May was on the wharf; when he beheld his twelve-year-old daughter, he exclaimed: "There she is. Bless her dear little face." Immediately they boarded the train for a manufacturing town, Manayunk, only a few miles from Philadelphia. Here the father had provided rooms for his daughter, and a lady friend from England with her child, the age of Ruth. Ruth's mother had died when the little girl was but sixteen months old and the father felt that the time was now ripe to provide his daughter with a foster mother. And, too, he longed for the companionship which he felt this immigrant woman could supply. The upshot of the matter was that soon the marriage knot was tied, and a happy union it proved to be. For a brief period Ruth and her foster sister were employed at a cotton mill, and then the family moved to Philadelphia. Here Ruth worked at family service for one dollar a week and board, until the time came to migrate to Utah. Across the Plains In July, 1867, the May family began their long-desired journey toward the West, where they hoped to spend the remainder of their days with the saints of God. It took them nine days to make the trip to North Platte, the terminal of the railroad and the outfitting place for those going west. At North Platte the company with which the Mays were traveling was detained for a month. Money became scarce and Ruth's father was able to purchase but one yoke of oxen when two were needed. It happened that a brother who had a wagon and one yoke of oxen bargained to permit Brother May's family to ride in his wagon for the use of his oxen, with the understanding that Brother May would be the driver. The two families totaled thirteen persons who must occupy one wagon across the plains. In the company were sixty people, fifty of whom were Scandinavians. Travel was necessarily slow, the caravan at times making not more than eight miles in a day. The journey was only half completed when food became scarce, but fortunately the company was able to make some purchases from passing soldiers and at a few army posts along the way. At Sweetwater they rested long enough to wash their clothes, bathe, and have a little recreation. Brother May had walked every step across the plains; and one day when asked how he was getting along, he replied: "Oh, there isn't much the matter—I have a sick wife, two sore heels, and two dummies." Ruth said that she was one of the dummies. At Coalville, Utah, the company was met by Brother Samuel Hill who had been sent by President Young with a load of much-needed provisions to supply them until they could arrive in Salt Lake City. All Well in Zion When the company emerged from Parley's Canyon at twilight and got their first glimpse of the Salt Lake Valley, Ruth May expressed her disappointment by exclaiming: "Oh, have we come all this way for that?" However, the day following their arrival was the Sabbath, and after attending services in the tabernacle, Ruth felt that all was well in Zion. The family became identified with the Fourteenth Ward, where Ruth was an active member. At the age of seventeen she was called to be a teacher in the Sunday School, a position for which she was adapted and in which she found much satisfaction. This was the beginning of her official duties in the Church, which have increased in importance and magnitude with the passing of years. With the organization of the Primary Association, Ruth May was appointed to the presidency, in which she served as a counselor or president for a period of over nineteen years. Beginning of Work in Y.L.M.I.A. In 1895 she was appointed president of the Young Ladies Mutual Improvement Association[1] of the Fourteenth Ward; she served in this position for several years. In 1898 she was selected to work on the Y. L. M. I. A. General Board, and in 1903 she was called to be first counselor to Martha H. Tingey in the general presidency of the Y. L. M. I. A. In 1929, with the resignation of Sister Tingey because of ill health, she was appointed president. Forty Years on General Board For well-nigh forty years, Sister Fox worked on the General Board of the M. I. A., and during that time great honor came to her, and she brought great credit to the Church of which she is a member and the state to which she belongs. In 1913 she was a delegate to the National Council of Women and. as such, represented both the M. I. A. and the Relief Society. When the Federated Clubs of Salt Lake City sought to honor the women who had done the most outstanding service for their communities, Ruth May Fox was chosen as one of seven women for that signal honor. At the age of nineteen, Ruth was united in marriage to Jesse W. Fox, Jr., and to the couple were born twelve children, ten of whom reached man- and womanhood and have reared families of their own. With such a prolific start, astronomical figures would be required to compute the number of offspring that will eventually come from this one little English lady of renown. Best of all, her progeny are among the honorable of the earth and will reflect credit upon their parentage throughout the generations of time. Always with a deep interest in public affairs, Sister Fox's prime interest has still been her family and home. Representative of Women She has traveled extensively in the interest of her sex, her travels taking her as far as the Hawaiian Islands and several countries of Europe, as a representative of the Mutual Improvement Association. Wherever she has gone she has been well received by all classes because of her abilities and striking personality. Among her outstanding virtues are honesty, tolerance, and humility, coupled with a keen sense of humor that makes her company sought after by both the aged and the young. In the field of literature, Sister Fox has a special gift, particularly in the writing of poetry. Her poems are a real contribution to the literature of the Church and are widely read, for both their beauty and their content. They reveal an author of refinement, rare charm, and a religious fervor entirely devoid of fanaticism but of unquestioned fidelity. Several of her poems have been set to music and are a source of inspiration, especially to the youth of the Church. "Carry On" is a song that is known and loved wherever the M. I. A. is organized. Established Traveling Library To Ruth May Fox must be given the credit for suggesting and helping to put into operation the Traveling Library which for many years was an important feature of the Y. L. M. I. A. program; it has since evolved into the Reading Course. Sister Fox had been restricted in her formal education, but that has not deprived her from obtaining a liberal education through the reading of good books, for which she has always had a great fondness. This love for good literature impelled her to suggest the Reading Course for the young people of the Church. Temple Square Missionary Few women are endowed by nature and training with the ability to explain the gospel so clearly and impressively as Sister Fox. In July, 1902, she was called by the First Presidency to labor as a missionary on Temple Square. She served faithfully in that position for a period of twenty-seven years, and no work during her life has given her greater satisfaction than explaining the message of Mormonism to the many hundreds she contacted on Temple Square. Now in her 97th year, Ruth May Fox retains a spirit of youthfulness seldom seen in one so far advanced in years. Her keenness of intellect is a marvel to even her most intimate friends, and is largely the result of a well-ordered and temperate life. May her years in mortality continue until she is satisfied. [1] Changed March 28, 1934, to Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association. |
RUTH MAY FOX
RUTH MAY FOX
RUTH MAY FOX AND HER GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN
Carol Maxfield, Phillip Biesinger and Buddy Stout |
Cannon, Lucy Grant. "Ruth May Fox - A True Daughter of Zion." Improvement Era. November 1953. pg. 828-829, 842, 844.
Ruth May Fox—A True Daughter in Zion by Lucy Grant Cannon FORMERLY GENERAL PRESIDENT Y.W.M.I.A. Sister Fox, beloved leader and friend, where is there another such as you? Your life and your words have been a constant inspiration to thousands upon thousands of the youth of Zion, your friends, and your large posterity. You were born of parents who rejoiced in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the testimony which was theirs was yours also at an early age. Your soul's desire has been to see "Zion in her beauty rise," and your life has been dedicated to help in building the kingdom of God on earth. "Born in obscurity, reared in poverty" but rising through all the vicissitudes of toil, pain, and sorrow to a pinnacle of majestic eminence you have reached a place among the truly great. We love you, we honor you and hold you in high esteem. We know that your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life and that each generation as long as the earth stands will remember you: a daughter of Zion, who fought the good fight and who is entitled to reap the reward of those who served and loved the Lord. Each month as my Reader's Digest comes I usually look through the contents, find the "Most Unforgettable Character" sketch and read that first. I seldom read the article without thinking, "I know many unforgettable characters, and the one woman I would like to see in this magazine is my dear friend, Ruth May Fox, the most wonderful woman I have ever met." I have known Sister Fox since childhood. My dearest friend as a child was Verna Young. Her father's brother lived across the street from the Fox home, and many times as a little girl I went with Verna to visit her cousins, and we would go over to the Fox home to play with Sister Fox's daughter, Daisy. Even though I was very small, Sister Fox made a real impression on my mind. I thought she was the busiest, most capable person I had ever seen; she seemed to have endless energy. Years passed, and I was a young mother chosen to be a member of the YWMIA general board. At the first meeting of the board which I attended I looked around in awe. Most of the women I knew, some intimately, others just slightly. I felt meek and humble meeting with these older, experienced workers. At that first meeting I decided that Ruth May Fox was the most outstanding member of the board; and she should be my pattern; she was a born leader.She had the qualifications of leadership for a Church organization. She was a true Latter-day Saint; her testimony was unshakable. She loved the gospel, and her happiness in life came from service in her Church. She had been associated in the MIA from its inception and was ready to accept any suggestion which would facilitate the work. She was full of ideas. She had an alert mind, and it was in constant use. She named the Gleaner Girls; she wrote the words for a score of songs. The one which has become world-wide, "Carry On," was written for a Sunday evening service given by M Men and Gleaners in the Tabernacle in 1930. She has the most remarkable memory of any person I know. At the age of eighty-three she toured Europe with a group her daughter, Vida Fox Clawson, organized. She visited every place of interest. She never had to be helped or waited for. She always was ready and in her place at the appointed hour. She visited her birthplace and went again to the rope yard and the estate of the nobleman who had a leaden lady in his garden; these places she had remembered since childhood. I kept a diary of the trip, but Sister Fox kept her account in her mind. When we returned after three months, the two general boards met for an evening to hear our report. Sister Fox gave an account of her trip in verse. She told of leaving Salt Lake City, and mentioned all the important places she had visited, bringing in many delightful observations of her own. When she finished, there was a storm of applause, and those of us who had been on the trip with her were amazed that she could remember so many things. We all asked for a copy of her verses, and to our astonishment she had no notes. She had written on her memory, in verse, the history of the entire trip. Only once did I ever see her confused when giving a talk and that was when she had written down some items she wished to give and because of the dimness of the room she was not able to see her notes. She speaks with an ease and fluency which is remarkable. As a board member, counselor, and even after she was president (she was then over seventy-five years old) she insisted on taking the long, hard trips often to the remote and smallest stakes. She felt those stakes were the ones that needed her most. Often she would take the day coach rather than a sleeper, saying it was extravagant to take a sleeper for just a few hours. And so after a hard ride, probably over bad roads, she would board the train, sit up half the night, and in the morning appear at the office, fresh and ready for a busy day. The fact that she is the mother of twelve children, grandmother to nearly four times that number, and great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother to a rapidly multiplying number doesn't make her feel that hers is a remarkable life. She says, "I have had good health, and I believe it a privilege to be the mother of a large family." During June conference this year, 1953, she attended the superintendents' and presidents' luncheon held at the Hotel Utah. I was sitting with her on the mezzanine floor waiting for the luncheon to begin. Brother Franklin L. West came to shake her hand. He introduced himself, asking if she remembered him. She gave a quick response saying, "Why, yes, I remember you, Brother West. I gave a little speech when you were released from the Young Men's board as counselor to Brother Bowen, and I said 'East is East and West is West.' " He was released in 1937. You ask Sister Fox about those months—years in fact—when she was on the way to Zion. She always passes over them lightly—the sea voyage in the steerage class; the years in Philadelphia with all the family working, scrimping, and saving, trying to get means enough to gather to Zion. She worked long hours in a factory among people who were far from the type a young girl should be thrown among. Then the trip to the valley; not enough money to buy a wagon of their own, so her father was driver for a family, and his family walked since his pay was the privilege of having his tent and provisions carried. Then the long trek. Only once or twice during those months was she given a ride in a wagon. These years were her school years. No day school or university was necessary for her education. She took every opportunity to study and to learn through work and is today a self-educated woman. Now at the age of one hundred she could well be awarded the degree of Doctor of Humanities by every university of the land because she has given her life to the service of her fellow men. Highlights in the Life of Ruth May Fox
By Feramorz Y. Fox 19 years growing up. 40 years rearing a family. 19 years an officer in the Primary Association. 42 years an officer in MIA. 26 years a missionary-guide on Temple Square. 31 years with Red Cross. 12 years with Travelers Aid. 12 years of active political participation. 8 years on the board of the Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing Association, and some years in the Utah Woman's Press Club, The Reapers Club, the Social Welfare League, and the State Historical Society, in addition to others. 209 years This activity adds up to more than a couple of centuries. The amazing thing about it all is that Ruth May Fox was rarely a mere figurehead or a statistic. She exemplifies active participation. She grew up amidst work and duty. She walked beside the wagon while others rode; she worked in the factories; she bore children, a dozen of them, and cooked and sewed and scrubbed for them and nursed them; restrained, directed, taught, and inspired them; "allured to brighter worlds and led the way." She was not merely an officer in the ward Primary; she prepared the lessons, taught the classes, and added noticeably to the enrolment from her own home. In politics she campaigned. In MIA she did committee work, wrote lessons, visited stakes and wards, and had her share of assignments to places remote and difficult to reach. In Red Cross and Travelers Aid she nursed in homes during the flu epidemic; rolled bandages during war, and fed and entertained soldiers passing to and from the camps. On Temple Square she taught thousands, corrected misunderstandings, allayed prejudice, and won friends for her religion and her people. In retirement she uses time profitably. She listens to the newscasts, is quite aware of what goes on in this troubled world, reads by the hour, remembers friends who are confined at home and visits them; is regular in attendance at sacrament meeting. She doesn't count her descendants; she knows them, visits with them, and takes delight in the steady increase in numbers. As this goes to press there are 230, but the reader will do well to add one or two likely to be reported in the next mail. Having fully filled the measure of her creation she is happy in life and is ready for occupancy of one of the mansions in her Father's house. But unless restrained by some greater duty, it is safe to predict that she will use it only as a place from which to start. |
Ruth May Fox (center) with her family: front row, left to right, Beryl F. Evenson, Ruth C. Taylor, Vida F. Clawson, Florence F. MacKay; back row, Feramorz Y., H. Lester, Frank H., Leonard Grant, George J., and Jesse M.
At the age of three years.
As a young lady in her teens.
Sister Fox dressed for pioneer celebration in 1947.
The family of Jesse W. Jr., and Ruth May Fox in the late nineties: Front row, left to right: Leonard G., Florence, Beryl, Emmeline B., (who died in 1914); middle row, Frank H., Jesse W., Jr., Ruth C, Ruth May Fox; back row, Vida, Feramorz, Jesse, George, and Lester. Eliza May Fox, the first daughter (in large framed painting) died in infancy.
About the time of her marriage.
Wearing a holoku from the Hawaiian Islands.
|
Josephson, Marba C. "A Tribute to Ruth May Fox." Improvement Era. November 1957. pg. 805.
A Tribute to Ruth May Fox
By Marba C. Josephson Associate Managing Editor
Life has always been a challenge to Ruth May Fox, grand woman of YWMIA, who attains the venerable age of 104, November 16, 1957. Sister Fox has a most enviable record of service to young women in the Church. Born in England, November 16, 1853, Ruth May was deprived of her mother by death when Ruth was only sixteen months old. Both of Ruth's parents had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when Ruth was five months of age. Her early childhood was spent moving from one place to another, the father always trying to place Ruth with Latter-day Saints wherever possible, or failing that, since there were few Latter-day Saints in England in that early time, he placed her with good Christian people.
Shortly after Ruth's father came to America, he sent for her and Mrs. Saxton with whom Ruth had been living, and Mrs. Saxton's daughter Clara. Soon after their arrival he married Mrs. Saxton, and thus Ruth gained a new mother and sister. Their eager desire was to reach Zion, and in 1867, they set forth to make the trip.
Ruth's marriage in 1872 to Jesse W. Fox, Jr., was performed in the Endowment House by President Daniel H. Wells. This marriage was blessed with twelve children.
During her busy life as mother of a large family, Ruth May Fox remained active in the Church. She taught Sunday School and became first counselor in the 14th Ward Primary in 1879. She served in this capacity until 1898, after her appointment to the General Board of the YWMIA. She was selected YWMIA ward president in September 1895, a position she held for nine years, even after her call to the general board in 1898. Her continuous contributions to the YWMIA have been many and varied. She introduced the names for the Bee Hive and the Gleaner girls. She wrote words for the theme song of the YWMIA, "Carry On," as well as other songs and poetry of enduring merit. In addition to her Church activities, which included twenty-seven years' service as guide on Temple Square, Sister Fox served the community: the Red Cross from 1917 to 1948 and the Travelers' Aid from 1925 to 1937. In February 1934 she was honored by the Salt Lake Federation of Women's Clubs when she was chosen one of seven women who had given extraordinary community service.
To those who know and love her, Ruth May Fox will always remain one of the most challenging persons. Although she was not privileged to attend school, she has through her own determination become one of the best-educated women of the Church. Her keen mind, ever alert to the challenge of the MIA slogan taken from the Doctrine and Covenants, "The glory of God is intelligence," has prompted Sister Fox to study and learn for herself "Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; . . ." (See D&C 88:77-80.)
She has always been an avid reader. Even when her eyesight began to fail, she studied Braille. With the publication of talking books, she no longer had to struggle with Braille and has read many, many volumes in her effort to grow and develop and to keep abreast. To all who are privileged to know her, she is indeed an example of using one's time and talents to the best of one's ability.
Sister Fox's flashing black eyes, her ready wit, her sure-fire memory belie the years that have passed since she was a merry girl in England.
Perennially young in her outlook and ambition, Sister Fox is a delight and an inspiration to all who know her.
A Tribute to Ruth May Fox
By Marba C. Josephson Associate Managing Editor
Life has always been a challenge to Ruth May Fox, grand woman of YWMIA, who attains the venerable age of 104, November 16, 1957. Sister Fox has a most enviable record of service to young women in the Church. Born in England, November 16, 1853, Ruth May was deprived of her mother by death when Ruth was only sixteen months old. Both of Ruth's parents had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when Ruth was five months of age. Her early childhood was spent moving from one place to another, the father always trying to place Ruth with Latter-day Saints wherever possible, or failing that, since there were few Latter-day Saints in England in that early time, he placed her with good Christian people.
Shortly after Ruth's father came to America, he sent for her and Mrs. Saxton with whom Ruth had been living, and Mrs. Saxton's daughter Clara. Soon after their arrival he married Mrs. Saxton, and thus Ruth gained a new mother and sister. Their eager desire was to reach Zion, and in 1867, they set forth to make the trip.
Ruth's marriage in 1872 to Jesse W. Fox, Jr., was performed in the Endowment House by President Daniel H. Wells. This marriage was blessed with twelve children.
During her busy life as mother of a large family, Ruth May Fox remained active in the Church. She taught Sunday School and became first counselor in the 14th Ward Primary in 1879. She served in this capacity until 1898, after her appointment to the General Board of the YWMIA. She was selected YWMIA ward president in September 1895, a position she held for nine years, even after her call to the general board in 1898. Her continuous contributions to the YWMIA have been many and varied. She introduced the names for the Bee Hive and the Gleaner girls. She wrote words for the theme song of the YWMIA, "Carry On," as well as other songs and poetry of enduring merit. In addition to her Church activities, which included twenty-seven years' service as guide on Temple Square, Sister Fox served the community: the Red Cross from 1917 to 1948 and the Travelers' Aid from 1925 to 1937. In February 1934 she was honored by the Salt Lake Federation of Women's Clubs when she was chosen one of seven women who had given extraordinary community service.
To those who know and love her, Ruth May Fox will always remain one of the most challenging persons. Although she was not privileged to attend school, she has through her own determination become one of the best-educated women of the Church. Her keen mind, ever alert to the challenge of the MIA slogan taken from the Doctrine and Covenants, "The glory of God is intelligence," has prompted Sister Fox to study and learn for herself "Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; . . ." (See D&C 88:77-80.)
She has always been an avid reader. Even when her eyesight began to fail, she studied Braille. With the publication of talking books, she no longer had to struggle with Braille and has read many, many volumes in her effort to grow and develop and to keep abreast. To all who are privileged to know her, she is indeed an example of using one's time and talents to the best of one's ability.
Sister Fox's flashing black eyes, her ready wit, her sure-fire memory belie the years that have passed since she was a merry girl in England.
Perennially young in her outlook and ambition, Sister Fox is a delight and an inspiration to all who know her.
"In Memoriam - Ruth May Fox." Relief Society Magazine. June 1958. pg. 376.
In Memoriam—Ruth May Fox
THE General Board of Relief Society pays a tribute of love and appreciation to the memory of Ruth May (Harding) Fox, in the remarkable accomplishments of this beloved daughter of Zion. She was born November 16, 1853, in Westbury, Wilshire, England, and died April 2, 1958, in Salt Lake City, far away from the land of her birth. Her days upon the earth numbered more than a century, and her life was a dedication to everlasting values—her home and family, the Church, and services to individuals and organizations where there was need for her understanding heart and her willing hands.
She crossed the plains in 1867 by ox-team and thus entered the valleys of the mountains when she was only fourteen. Three years later she became a Sunday School teacher and thereafter she served faithfully in the women's auxiliary organizations of the Church, becoming General President of the Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association in 1929, when she was seventy-five years old. For twenty-five years she served as a missionary on Temple Square, where her unusual gift for the speech arts illuminated her deep and abiding testimony of the gospel.
Ruth May Fox tenderly nurtured twelve children and exemplified true motherhood and sisterhood. Her voice was lifted for the betterment of women everywhere. She is remembered for her devoted work in the National Council of Women and for her able and inspirational direction of the lives of thousands of young women who have become leaders in Relief Society and in all the women's auxiliary organizations of the Church. Her life has touched the lives of many who will long remember her and call her blessed.
In Memoriam—Ruth May Fox
THE General Board of Relief Society pays a tribute of love and appreciation to the memory of Ruth May (Harding) Fox, in the remarkable accomplishments of this beloved daughter of Zion. She was born November 16, 1853, in Westbury, Wilshire, England, and died April 2, 1958, in Salt Lake City, far away from the land of her birth. Her days upon the earth numbered more than a century, and her life was a dedication to everlasting values—her home and family, the Church, and services to individuals and organizations where there was need for her understanding heart and her willing hands.
She crossed the plains in 1867 by ox-team and thus entered the valleys of the mountains when she was only fourteen. Three years later she became a Sunday School teacher and thereafter she served faithfully in the women's auxiliary organizations of the Church, becoming General President of the Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association in 1929, when she was seventy-five years old. For twenty-five years she served as a missionary on Temple Square, where her unusual gift for the speech arts illuminated her deep and abiding testimony of the gospel.
Ruth May Fox tenderly nurtured twelve children and exemplified true motherhood and sisterhood. Her voice was lifted for the betterment of women everywhere. She is remembered for her devoted work in the National Council of Women and for her able and inspirational direction of the lives of thousands of young women who have become leaders in Relief Society and in all the women's auxiliary organizations of the Church. Her life has touched the lives of many who will long remember her and call her blessed.
Cannon, Lucy Grant. "Ruth May Fox." Improvement Era. July 1958. pg. 529, 534, 536, 538.
Ruth May Fox
by Lucy Grant Cannon
The day that must come to all of us, came to Sister Ruth May Fox early Saturday morning, February 12, 1958. For her a glorious day of release, for those of us who remain, a day of sober soul searching. Where has there ever been another person such as she?
There is so much that could be said of this true Latter-day Saint, for she kept in books and her poetical writings her life story. To her children and her children's children, her thousands of admiring friends and co-workers, these writings will always be a beacon of light, courage, and faith.
Ruth May Fox was born of humble parents who, when she was five months old, heard and accepted the gospel. When Sister Fox was eighty-three years old, she returned to England with her daughter, Vida Fox Clawson, who conducted a European tour. This tour took people to England to a great celebration. It had been 100 years since the gospel was introduced into England when the first sermon was preached at Vauxhall, a little church in Preston.
At this city on the River Ribble, the first baptism occurred. There on the River Ribble one hundred years later, a service was held under the direction of President Heber J. Grant. Sister Fox was one of the speakers. She told of her early life in England, where as a sixteen-month-old baby she had been left motherless, and of her father James May's tender care. She told how he put her in homes where she could be cared for and of their coming to Zion when she was seven. She told of the years before reaching Zion, of traveling steerage from England, living in St. Louis and other places, working and scrimping and saving every penny to help them reach Zion, of the trip across the plains, walking the entire distance. What a dream of her life it was to walk once more in those shady lanes in England, to look out over the green fields dotted with buttercups and daisies!
She went to her home town, which she had left when a child. Here she found many of the old landmarks she had held in her memory all those years—the old rope yard, the street where she lived, the iron lady in the garden of the wealthy landowner whose estate was nearby, and the lake with the swans swimming on it—the swans were still on the lake. Here she bore her testimony to the truth of the gospel, and told of what the gospel had done for her and hers, its glorious opportunities for development and service. If she had not been a Latter-day Saint, she might have lived and died in obscurity.
On Sister Fox's 100th anniversary her son Feramorz gave this thumbnail sketch of his mother's activities.
"Nineteen years growing up. Forty years rearing a family. Nineteen years an officer in the Primary Association. Twenty-six years a missionary guide on Temple Square. Thirty-one years with Red Cross. Twelve years with Traveler's Aid. Twelve years of political activity. Eight years on board of the Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing Association. Other years in the Utah Women's Press Club, the Social Welfare League, the State Historical Society, in addition to others. Two hundred nine years."
This activity adds up to more than two centuries!
The amazing thing about it is that Ruth May Fox was rarely a figurehead or a statistic. She exemplified active participation. She grew up amid work and duty. She walked beside the wagon while others rode. She worked in the factories. She was not merely an officer in the Primary, she prepared the lessons, taught the classes, and added noticeably to the enrolment from her own home. In politics she campaigned. In MIA she did committee work, wrote lessons, visited stakes and wards, and had her share of assignments to remote places.
In Red Cross and Traveler's Aid she nursed during the flu epidemic, rolled bandages during the war, and fed and entertained soldiers passing to and from the camps.
On Temple Square, she taught thousands, corrected misunderstandings, allayed prejudice, and won friends for her religion and her people.
In retirement she used her time profitably. She listened to the newscasts and was aware of what went on in this troubled world; she read by the hour, remembered friends who were confined in their homes and visited them, and was regular in attendance at Sacrament meetings.
She didn't count her descendants she knew them, visited them, and took delight in the steady increase in numbers. As this goes to press there are 230, but the reader will do well to add one or two likely to be reported in the next mail.
On Sister Fox's 104th anniversary, November 16, 1957, those women who had been on Sister Fox's board and other former members held a luncheon in her honor at the Lion House. Those present were asked to give one-minute tributes to her. Only a few can have a place in this story.
This was her daughter, Florence Fox Mackay's, tribute:
"I'd like to express my gratitude for the privilege of having Mother with us in our home these many years. I'm grateful that my daughters and grandchildren have had such close association with her. They have learned to love her dearly. She has set a wonderful example for us, and I hope we will always strive for the ideals she has planted in our hearts."
Vida Fox Clawson:
"Mother taught her children by both precept and example. Some folks have inferred that Mother's long life is due to a life of ease; but that isn't so. Mother scrubbed while she composed poetry, and while she sewed (she made all of our clothes) she memorized scripture and contemplated the gospel. One day when as a child I was standing by the old White sewing machine watching Mother pedal away, she stopped and turned to me and said, 'Just think, an angel from heaven has brought the gospel back to earth.' I am very grateful for the heritage my mother has given to me and my family. I remember well the effect the years following the panic had on the lives of my mother and father. When things looked darkest, Mother would say, 'We shall live one day at a time and leave the rest to the Lord.' "
Sister Rachel G. Taylor told how "Carry On" came into being:
"Blessed be this day when we may come and lay a tribute at your feet.
"Blessed were the years we labored for the youth of Zion under your inspired leadership. One example of your inspiration and help came as the Gleaners and M Men sought in vain among the stakes of the Church for a song to give a special spark to the great M Men and Gleaner conference in June 1930.
"As I was passing your desk one day, you handed me a paper containing the words of 'Carry On' and said, 'Ray, do you think this will do?'
"The committee was thrilled. I called Alfred Durham. . . . He wrote fitting music. . . .
"When we here have all passed to the great beyond, your song will still ring in the voices of youth, keeping alive your message, 'Carry On.'
As Sister Fox came in to her luncheon, all the sisters arose and sang "Carry On." Then Sister Elsie Van Noy, who was in charge, said, "Sister Fox, we are all here to welcome you on your birthday, to pay tribute to you. We would love to have you speak to us if you feel able, but we want you to do as you feel."
A moment's pause, and then that grand, lovable Latter-day Saint repeated without one flaw the 23rd Psalm:
“The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.'
"This is my speech."
The eyes of those present were moist with tears as Sister Fox finished.
Jesse W. Fox, Jr., was twenty and Ruth May nineteen when they were married. For the first six months of married life they lived with Jesse's parents, after that in the home next door, and from there they moved to several places, until they built a commodious home on Second South in the Fourteenth Ward. Here most of the children were born, and here they lived in financial security.
This security wasn't to last too long because the panic of 1893 wiped out their holdings and plunged them into heavy debt. They lost their home and had to rent for thirteen years.
During these trying years, Sister Fox told, they took care of a penniless, homeless old man. He lived in a little room which they had built in their yard, staying there until his death.
An old lady who had been disowned by her family for affiliating with the Church also came to them and was with them until her passing.
The Fox home wasn't far from the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad station, and in those days tramps by the score came up the street looking for a place where they might get a meal. Sister Fox said their home must have been marked, as never a week passed without one, two, or maybe three men being seated at their kitchen table getting a meal. Never did she turn a hungry man away.
One widower and his five boys and one girl spent a winter with them.
Sister Fox said, "In the matter of health we were fortunate." In their turn all the children had mumps, measles, whooping cough, and common colds. George had a siege of typhoid and Lester suffered a broken leg. One winter a yellow flag quarantined them with scarlet fever most of the winter. Beatrice (Bee), the youngest daughter, recovered from the scarlet fever but was left with a weak heart. Sister Fox tenderly cared for her until her death in February 1914, at the age of seventeen.
Notwithstanding their changed conditions, making it necessary to move to a smaller home and live more frugally, they sent their sons on missions, one after another.
During the flu epidemic of 1918 Sister Fox was one of the many women who went into the homes of the ill and nursed them back to health, a service of love and sacrifice. But over and above all, working continually with her family, Sister Fox found her greatest joy in contemplating the gospel around the home in her working hours, for she was always busy. If ironing, a scrap of paper with a scripture passage was before her. As she was scrubbing her floors or cleaning the woodwork, she would hum gospel hymns or repeat passages of scripture. While washing the dishes, cooking, sewing (probably with a child on her lap) she memorized bits of poetry, choice passages of scripture, and some inspirational classic.
After she lost her eyesight, she had talking books sent from the library for the blind and sat before her machine, hour after hour, day after day, changing and listening to her records. The librarian said that Sister Fox had more books than any other of their subscribers.
On her ninetieth birthday, a large reception was held in Sister Fox's honor at the Bee Hive House. More than four hundred people came and shook her hand, and she was able to go to a family gathering that evening. At that time as a memento a card was published with her picture and her testimony, which each person received.
My Testimony
"Ever since I could understand, the gospel has meant everything to me. It has been my very breath, my mantle of protection against temptation, my consolation in sorrow, my joy and glory throughout all my days and my hope of eternal life. 'The Kingdom of God or nothing' has been my motto. Buth May Fox."
It would take volumes to chronicle Sister Fox's Church activities. Her first assignment was Sunday School teacher. Then came nineteen years as a Primary officer, acting as counselor to three presidents and as president. While president of the Primary she also served as president of the YWMIA for three years. Then in dual capacity as YWMIA ward president and member of Elmina S. Taylor's general board, she served nine years. Sister Martha H. Tingey became general president of the YWMIA at the death of Sister Elmina S. Taylor, and Sister Fox was chosen as first counselor.
Sister Tingey presided over the general board for thirty-one years with Sister Fox as her first counselor. At Sister Tingey's retirement because of ill health, Sister Fox was chosen president, at seventy-five years of age!
She saw the MIA develop far beyond her fondest hopes. Stakes multiplied; new wards were organized; new missions were formed; and all these new stakes, missions, and wards made the general board work more complex and arduous.
But through it all Sister Fox rejoiced; for Zion was in her beauty rising, the young women of Zion were gaining in stature and a testimony of the gospel, true to her message to them, "You are the daughters of Zion; live up to your heritage."
Of all of her many Church activities, I believe that she loved best her years as a missionary on Temple Square. Every Friday afternoon, and often other days in the week (for she was a minute man), she was at Temple Square. Here she had the opportunity to tell the story of her people; here she had the opportunity to bear her testimony to the divinity of the Church; to her, soul satisfying privileges.
During all these years as a general board member and president of the YWMIA, Sister Fox traveled extensively, visiting every stake in the Church, many of them several times. She attended national recreational conferences; a dozen times she was a delegate to the National Council of Women and for several years was an officer of that organization.
One of her most memorable conventions was to the Hawaiian Islands, where she and Elder Albert E. Bowen, representing the Young Men's organization, conducted the first auxiliary convention ever held outside the confines of the United States.
Another memorable occasion for her was the unveiling of a marker at Independence Rock, Wyoming, June 21, 1931. Sister Fox was one of the speakers. Here she had passed as a child and had camped overnight. Here she had chiseled her name on the rock as thousands of others had done. Here she had climbed to the top, as a child of thirteen; and here again she had made the ascent at seventy-eight.
General conference and MIA June conference were red-letter days in her life. She attended all the general meetings, the music festivals, the dance festivals, the drama festivals, the department meetings, the outdoor activities, always participating, always rejoicing in the progress of the work.
In later years she never missed listening to all the sessions of the general conference, including the very last one, just a day or two before she breathed her last. What a record of Church service she had! It cannot be equaled.
Her funeral was held in the Bonneville Stake House. Sister Fox had selected the hymns which she wished to be sung: "Come Let Us Anew," "Abide With Me," and "Oh, My Father." President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Sister Clarissa A. Beesley, and Dr. David Smith told of her faith, her wonderful accomplishments, and her crowning glory of motherhood. Sister Grace Nixon Stewart read one of Sister Fox's poems: "To My Children."
The closing song was one that will never be duplicated. Seventy grandchildren standing behind the pulpit sang "Carry On," led by Harold Keddington, who at June conference in 1930 led the M Men and Gleaner chorus at the Tabernacle in the first rendition of "Carry On." Elder Lorin Wheelwright was at the organ. The closing prayer was offered by Ross Fox.
All that was mortal of Sister Ruth May Fox, the illustrious and lovable pioneer who at the close of her one hundred and four years could say with Paul, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing," was laid to rest in the hallowed grounds in the tops of the mountains—those mountains which beckoned her on as she walked for three long months the one thousand miles over plains and desert sands, cheered as she sang "We're Going to the Mountains of Ephraim to Dwell."
Sister Fox has gone from our sight, but not from our hearts. She will always live in memory, blessing us as we strive to emulate her matchless life of love and service.
Ruth May Fox
by Lucy Grant Cannon
The day that must come to all of us, came to Sister Ruth May Fox early Saturday morning, February 12, 1958. For her a glorious day of release, for those of us who remain, a day of sober soul searching. Where has there ever been another person such as she?
There is so much that could be said of this true Latter-day Saint, for she kept in books and her poetical writings her life story. To her children and her children's children, her thousands of admiring friends and co-workers, these writings will always be a beacon of light, courage, and faith.
Ruth May Fox was born of humble parents who, when she was five months old, heard and accepted the gospel. When Sister Fox was eighty-three years old, she returned to England with her daughter, Vida Fox Clawson, who conducted a European tour. This tour took people to England to a great celebration. It had been 100 years since the gospel was introduced into England when the first sermon was preached at Vauxhall, a little church in Preston.
At this city on the River Ribble, the first baptism occurred. There on the River Ribble one hundred years later, a service was held under the direction of President Heber J. Grant. Sister Fox was one of the speakers. She told of her early life in England, where as a sixteen-month-old baby she had been left motherless, and of her father James May's tender care. She told how he put her in homes where she could be cared for and of their coming to Zion when she was seven. She told of the years before reaching Zion, of traveling steerage from England, living in St. Louis and other places, working and scrimping and saving every penny to help them reach Zion, of the trip across the plains, walking the entire distance. What a dream of her life it was to walk once more in those shady lanes in England, to look out over the green fields dotted with buttercups and daisies!
She went to her home town, which she had left when a child. Here she found many of the old landmarks she had held in her memory all those years—the old rope yard, the street where she lived, the iron lady in the garden of the wealthy landowner whose estate was nearby, and the lake with the swans swimming on it—the swans were still on the lake. Here she bore her testimony to the truth of the gospel, and told of what the gospel had done for her and hers, its glorious opportunities for development and service. If she had not been a Latter-day Saint, she might have lived and died in obscurity.
On Sister Fox's 100th anniversary her son Feramorz gave this thumbnail sketch of his mother's activities.
"Nineteen years growing up. Forty years rearing a family. Nineteen years an officer in the Primary Association. Twenty-six years a missionary guide on Temple Square. Thirty-one years with Red Cross. Twelve years with Traveler's Aid. Twelve years of political activity. Eight years on board of the Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing Association. Other years in the Utah Women's Press Club, the Social Welfare League, the State Historical Society, in addition to others. Two hundred nine years."
This activity adds up to more than two centuries!
The amazing thing about it is that Ruth May Fox was rarely a figurehead or a statistic. She exemplified active participation. She grew up amid work and duty. She walked beside the wagon while others rode. She worked in the factories. She was not merely an officer in the Primary, she prepared the lessons, taught the classes, and added noticeably to the enrolment from her own home. In politics she campaigned. In MIA she did committee work, wrote lessons, visited stakes and wards, and had her share of assignments to remote places.
In Red Cross and Traveler's Aid she nursed during the flu epidemic, rolled bandages during the war, and fed and entertained soldiers passing to and from the camps.
On Temple Square, she taught thousands, corrected misunderstandings, allayed prejudice, and won friends for her religion and her people.
In retirement she used her time profitably. She listened to the newscasts and was aware of what went on in this troubled world; she read by the hour, remembered friends who were confined in their homes and visited them, and was regular in attendance at Sacrament meetings.
She didn't count her descendants she knew them, visited them, and took delight in the steady increase in numbers. As this goes to press there are 230, but the reader will do well to add one or two likely to be reported in the next mail.
On Sister Fox's 104th anniversary, November 16, 1957, those women who had been on Sister Fox's board and other former members held a luncheon in her honor at the Lion House. Those present were asked to give one-minute tributes to her. Only a few can have a place in this story.
This was her daughter, Florence Fox Mackay's, tribute:
"I'd like to express my gratitude for the privilege of having Mother with us in our home these many years. I'm grateful that my daughters and grandchildren have had such close association with her. They have learned to love her dearly. She has set a wonderful example for us, and I hope we will always strive for the ideals she has planted in our hearts."
Vida Fox Clawson:
"Mother taught her children by both precept and example. Some folks have inferred that Mother's long life is due to a life of ease; but that isn't so. Mother scrubbed while she composed poetry, and while she sewed (she made all of our clothes) she memorized scripture and contemplated the gospel. One day when as a child I was standing by the old White sewing machine watching Mother pedal away, she stopped and turned to me and said, 'Just think, an angel from heaven has brought the gospel back to earth.' I am very grateful for the heritage my mother has given to me and my family. I remember well the effect the years following the panic had on the lives of my mother and father. When things looked darkest, Mother would say, 'We shall live one day at a time and leave the rest to the Lord.' "
Sister Rachel G. Taylor told how "Carry On" came into being:
"Blessed be this day when we may come and lay a tribute at your feet.
"Blessed were the years we labored for the youth of Zion under your inspired leadership. One example of your inspiration and help came as the Gleaners and M Men sought in vain among the stakes of the Church for a song to give a special spark to the great M Men and Gleaner conference in June 1930.
"As I was passing your desk one day, you handed me a paper containing the words of 'Carry On' and said, 'Ray, do you think this will do?'
"The committee was thrilled. I called Alfred Durham. . . . He wrote fitting music. . . .
"When we here have all passed to the great beyond, your song will still ring in the voices of youth, keeping alive your message, 'Carry On.'
As Sister Fox came in to her luncheon, all the sisters arose and sang "Carry On." Then Sister Elsie Van Noy, who was in charge, said, "Sister Fox, we are all here to welcome you on your birthday, to pay tribute to you. We would love to have you speak to us if you feel able, but we want you to do as you feel."
A moment's pause, and then that grand, lovable Latter-day Saint repeated without one flaw the 23rd Psalm:
“The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.'
"This is my speech."
The eyes of those present were moist with tears as Sister Fox finished.
Jesse W. Fox, Jr., was twenty and Ruth May nineteen when they were married. For the first six months of married life they lived with Jesse's parents, after that in the home next door, and from there they moved to several places, until they built a commodious home on Second South in the Fourteenth Ward. Here most of the children were born, and here they lived in financial security.
This security wasn't to last too long because the panic of 1893 wiped out their holdings and plunged them into heavy debt. They lost their home and had to rent for thirteen years.
During these trying years, Sister Fox told, they took care of a penniless, homeless old man. He lived in a little room which they had built in their yard, staying there until his death.
An old lady who had been disowned by her family for affiliating with the Church also came to them and was with them until her passing.
The Fox home wasn't far from the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad station, and in those days tramps by the score came up the street looking for a place where they might get a meal. Sister Fox said their home must have been marked, as never a week passed without one, two, or maybe three men being seated at their kitchen table getting a meal. Never did she turn a hungry man away.
One widower and his five boys and one girl spent a winter with them.
Sister Fox said, "In the matter of health we were fortunate." In their turn all the children had mumps, measles, whooping cough, and common colds. George had a siege of typhoid and Lester suffered a broken leg. One winter a yellow flag quarantined them with scarlet fever most of the winter. Beatrice (Bee), the youngest daughter, recovered from the scarlet fever but was left with a weak heart. Sister Fox tenderly cared for her until her death in February 1914, at the age of seventeen.
Notwithstanding their changed conditions, making it necessary to move to a smaller home and live more frugally, they sent their sons on missions, one after another.
During the flu epidemic of 1918 Sister Fox was one of the many women who went into the homes of the ill and nursed them back to health, a service of love and sacrifice. But over and above all, working continually with her family, Sister Fox found her greatest joy in contemplating the gospel around the home in her working hours, for she was always busy. If ironing, a scrap of paper with a scripture passage was before her. As she was scrubbing her floors or cleaning the woodwork, she would hum gospel hymns or repeat passages of scripture. While washing the dishes, cooking, sewing (probably with a child on her lap) she memorized bits of poetry, choice passages of scripture, and some inspirational classic.
After she lost her eyesight, she had talking books sent from the library for the blind and sat before her machine, hour after hour, day after day, changing and listening to her records. The librarian said that Sister Fox had more books than any other of their subscribers.
On her ninetieth birthday, a large reception was held in Sister Fox's honor at the Bee Hive House. More than four hundred people came and shook her hand, and she was able to go to a family gathering that evening. At that time as a memento a card was published with her picture and her testimony, which each person received.
My Testimony
"Ever since I could understand, the gospel has meant everything to me. It has been my very breath, my mantle of protection against temptation, my consolation in sorrow, my joy and glory throughout all my days and my hope of eternal life. 'The Kingdom of God or nothing' has been my motto. Buth May Fox."
It would take volumes to chronicle Sister Fox's Church activities. Her first assignment was Sunday School teacher. Then came nineteen years as a Primary officer, acting as counselor to three presidents and as president. While president of the Primary she also served as president of the YWMIA for three years. Then in dual capacity as YWMIA ward president and member of Elmina S. Taylor's general board, she served nine years. Sister Martha H. Tingey became general president of the YWMIA at the death of Sister Elmina S. Taylor, and Sister Fox was chosen as first counselor.
Sister Tingey presided over the general board for thirty-one years with Sister Fox as her first counselor. At Sister Tingey's retirement because of ill health, Sister Fox was chosen president, at seventy-five years of age!
She saw the MIA develop far beyond her fondest hopes. Stakes multiplied; new wards were organized; new missions were formed; and all these new stakes, missions, and wards made the general board work more complex and arduous.
But through it all Sister Fox rejoiced; for Zion was in her beauty rising, the young women of Zion were gaining in stature and a testimony of the gospel, true to her message to them, "You are the daughters of Zion; live up to your heritage."
Of all of her many Church activities, I believe that she loved best her years as a missionary on Temple Square. Every Friday afternoon, and often other days in the week (for she was a minute man), she was at Temple Square. Here she had the opportunity to tell the story of her people; here she had the opportunity to bear her testimony to the divinity of the Church; to her, soul satisfying privileges.
During all these years as a general board member and president of the YWMIA, Sister Fox traveled extensively, visiting every stake in the Church, many of them several times. She attended national recreational conferences; a dozen times she was a delegate to the National Council of Women and for several years was an officer of that organization.
One of her most memorable conventions was to the Hawaiian Islands, where she and Elder Albert E. Bowen, representing the Young Men's organization, conducted the first auxiliary convention ever held outside the confines of the United States.
Another memorable occasion for her was the unveiling of a marker at Independence Rock, Wyoming, June 21, 1931. Sister Fox was one of the speakers. Here she had passed as a child and had camped overnight. Here she had chiseled her name on the rock as thousands of others had done. Here she had climbed to the top, as a child of thirteen; and here again she had made the ascent at seventy-eight.
General conference and MIA June conference were red-letter days in her life. She attended all the general meetings, the music festivals, the dance festivals, the drama festivals, the department meetings, the outdoor activities, always participating, always rejoicing in the progress of the work.
In later years she never missed listening to all the sessions of the general conference, including the very last one, just a day or two before she breathed her last. What a record of Church service she had! It cannot be equaled.
Her funeral was held in the Bonneville Stake House. Sister Fox had selected the hymns which she wished to be sung: "Come Let Us Anew," "Abide With Me," and "Oh, My Father." President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Sister Clarissa A. Beesley, and Dr. David Smith told of her faith, her wonderful accomplishments, and her crowning glory of motherhood. Sister Grace Nixon Stewart read one of Sister Fox's poems: "To My Children."
The closing song was one that will never be duplicated. Seventy grandchildren standing behind the pulpit sang "Carry On," led by Harold Keddington, who at June conference in 1930 led the M Men and Gleaner chorus at the Tabernacle in the first rendition of "Carry On." Elder Lorin Wheelwright was at the organ. The closing prayer was offered by Ross Fox.
All that was mortal of Sister Ruth May Fox, the illustrious and lovable pioneer who at the close of her one hundred and four years could say with Paul, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing," was laid to rest in the hallowed grounds in the tops of the mountains—those mountains which beckoned her on as she walked for three long months the one thousand miles over plains and desert sands, cheered as she sang "We're Going to the Mountains of Ephraim to Dwell."
Sister Fox has gone from our sight, but not from our hearts. She will always live in memory, blessing us as we strive to emulate her matchless life of love and service.