Leonard A. Fox, age 85, died on July 17, 2013 at Brittany Pointe in Lansdale, PA, after battling F.T.D. with grace and dignity.

A loving husband to Audrey C. for 62 years, and a proud father to his loving children Joseph L. (Jeannette) Fox, Leonard Fox, Thomas (Colleen) Fox, and Dianne (Michael) Mullin. He was blessed with nine grandchildren, Kristin (Lew) Goettner, Ann (Chris) Bottcher, Kathleen (Brandon) Hall, Kathryn (Dane) Martin, Matt, Mary, and Peggy Mullin, and Nicole and Joe Fox. He was happy to welcome five great-grandchildren, Katie, Tommy and Erin Goettner, and Ben and Sam Bottcher. He is also survived by his brother Ken Fox.

Len was born October 19, 1927. Son of Leonard Fox, a Philadelphia Policeman, and Kathryn (McElvenny) Fox, the first woman adjuster for Aetna during WWII, Len grew up in Northeast Philadelphia with his younger brother Ken.

After graduating from Northeast High, he joined the Navy and deployed to Europe on the battleship, U.S.S. Wisconsin. Upon discharge, he attended the Philadelphia Museum School of Art for courses in Industrial Design.

Len took on a job with National Cash Register Co. and a new career-move into sales. It was a successful move. From there, he went to Breyer’s, Scotts. In 1959 started as a sales associate selling Commercial Business Insurance with Employer’s Insurance of Wausau for 29 years. He retired in 1988.

He and Audrey married in 1951. Outgrowing their little Cape Cod house with three sons and a daughter, they moved to a home in Holland, PA. He was actively involved in both St. Andrew and St. Bede Parishes. Len was Scoutmaster, and made sure that the scouts experienced the joys and lessons of camping outdoors come summer or winter. There were special trips to a remote camp in Canada and a week long canoe trip down the Delaware River. For many years, he went to Maine for family vacations until deciding to build a home there so the special family time would continue with the nine grandchildren. That home was sold when he moved to Lansdale, PA, coming back to his roots to be with five great-grandchildren.

Len’s natural art talent flourished with the mentorship of Bucks County Artist, Willie Scheiner. During this time he produced his first oil painting, which was followed by many other works throughout the years. His realistic and detailed paintings are gifts treasured by family and friends.

He always had a lifelong interest in astronomy and airplanes. In the year of Sputnik, he learned to grind his own 6” lens at the Franklin Institute to make a telescope! When he was 12 he built his first model airplane igniting a lifelong passion. His planes are heirlooms, from a rubber-band powered 12 inch model, to a radio-controlled plane with a 4 foot wingspan. He was involved with Radio Control Clubs in both PA and ME where he passed on his skills to young and old alike (his prize pupil being his grandson). He not only built model airplanes, he flew the real thing as well. He enjoyed the quiet of soaring in gliders, and the thrill of aerobatics in a vintage Stearman. He flew cross-country in an open cockpit biplane with his son. He got his seaplane rating when he was 70. He passed his passion on to his three sons, pilots all.

Traveling was always a special treat. Most family trips were to National Parks from FL, to ME, CA, CO, WY and Alaska. He and Audrey enjoyed other trips too: Cruises to the Caribbean, and the Baltic & Mediterranean Seas, trips to Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Tahiti. Three European River Cruises were favorites, but there’s a special place in B.V.I. where he and Audrey went 9 times — three of the children and two grandchildren went there also on their honeymoons. In so many ways, from his passions to his principles to his unwavering faith, his influence continues through the generations.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend his viewing, Sunday from 6:00pm-8:00pm at the Joseph A. Fluehr III Funeral Home, 241 East Butler Ave. (at Sandy Ridge Rd.) New Britain, PA 18901 and again on Monday morning at The Olde Church of St. Andrew, 131 Sycamore Ave., Newtown, PA 18940 from 10:30am until his Funeral Mass 11:30am.

His interment will be in Our Lady of Grace Cemetery, Langhorne.

Len attended annual retreats for 40 years at the Malvern Retreat House, therefore, in lieu of flowers; contributions in his memory would be appreciated to Malvern Retreat House, PO Box 315, Malvern, PA 19355