Columbia county news

This story is provided courtesy of the latest issue of The Columbia Paper, which can be seen online at www.columbiapaper.com. and friends make final arrangements for loved ones.

While the funeral home has come to the end of its days, the funeral director, George Fox, 73, is headed to a new life in a warmer place — he and his bride of three years, Paula, are moving to Maryland.

For the past 48 of its years, the funeral home has been Fox’s home and business, but now it’s time to retire.

He is taking a preemptive hint from his predecessor, Peter Yadack, who sold him the place in 1971, retired to Florida and died three months later of a heart attack.

Yadack purchased the circa 1837 residence from Johnas Potts in 1951. According to Fox, Potts was a fisherman, butcher and county coroner. Since Fox purchased the funeral home, he has refurbished and tripled the size of the place, which includes an upstairs residence, by adding three-bedrooms, two chapels and a lounge.

Literally on shelves, in display cases and strategically placed throughout, are hundreds of fox figurines and statuettes, even a doorstop, that people have given to him over the years.

Though Fox sought out buyers interested in taking over the funeral home business, he was not successful.

*Whenever Fox could find some free time he went fishing on the Hudson River or a local stream.

Now he has his sights set on Deal Island, (previously known as Devil’s Island), Maryland, in the Chesapeake Bay, 14-miles off the mainland.

There he has purchased an 11-acre farm where he plans to grow “weeds in the garden” and go fishing.

His life philosophy is simple, he said, “When you do everything in your power to make life better for others, your life will be rewarding.”

— Diane Valden