Colonel William Gilbert “Gib” Fox, USAF, Retired — beloved husband, father, grandfather, avid fisherman, Turner Classic Movie connoisseur, John Wayne enthusiast, and life-long fighter pilot completed his final or “fini flight” on 13 Oct 2014 – where on his heavenly landing he smiled as he fully experienced these words from the famous High Flight Poem – Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth, and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings…Put out my hand, and touched the face of God! Gib was born in Schwertner, Texas on July 1, 1940 to Neal and Lois Fox. He attended high school in Shiner, Texas where he played football and basketball, played trombone in the marching band, and met the love of his life, Carol Ann Darilek of Moulton, Texas. The two married on June 18, 1960, and were best friends for 54 years. Gib attended the University of Texas at Austin where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics & Physics then entered the Air Force as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1963. He received a Masters Degree in Computer Science at Texas A&M University. He completed Undergraduate Pilot Training at Reese AFB in Lubbock, Texas and faithfully served his country in Vietnam flying F-100 fighter planes. His career included assignments at Lackland AFB and Randolph AFB in San Antonio, Luke AFB in Phoenix, Vance AFB in Enid, OK, Reese AFB in Lubbock, TX, Hill AFB in Salt Lake City, UT, and Yongsan in Seoul, Korea. After retiring from a 30-years Air Force career in 1994, Gib & Carol lived their dream of fishing and enjoying life to its fullest in Port O’Connor, Texas. Gib is survived by his beautiful wife of 54 years, Carol Ann, son Dean and his wife Jan, daughter Beth, and grandsons Derek and Dustin. On entering Heaven, Gib joined his parents, Neal and Lois Fox, brother Rex, sister Yvonne Smith, and grandson Brandon.
This quote from the movie “How Green is My Valley” (one of his favorites) helps define the impact of Gib’s life – “Men like my father cannot die. They are with us still, real in memory as they were in flesh. Loving and beloved forever.” We love you much and look forward to the day we can all be together in God’s Green Heavenly Valley! Until then, your family will live life as you did – with compassion, love, integrity while honoring God, Family and this Great Nation you served so faithfully. Without a doubt, we find comfort in knowing that you heard these words when you arrived in heaven upon completion of your final flight – “Well done good and faithful servant, well done” – as our Heavenly Father welcomed you into His arms. And we are certain you then asked the angels if they had Turner Classic Movies, a fishing pole for use, and where did the old fighter pilots hang out to tell war stories! The family requests instead of flowers or cards – donations be sent to Christus Sister Mary Hospice Center, 5131 Medical Drive, Suite 310 San Antonio, Texas 78229.
“How green was my valley then, and the valley of them that have gone.”
― Richard Llewellyn, How Green Was My Valley
