In Tribute: ‘Loved by All’, RJ Fox is remembered during the service on Saturday, April 27

Family and friends will honor the life of RJ Fox this Saturday, April 27, in Winnetka.

RJ Fox, 18, who died tragically In early April, he was in North Carolina from Wilmette and attending Christ School near Asheville. A memorial service, which will also take place live streaming online, beginning at 2 p.m. at the Winnetka Congregational Church, 725 Pine St., and a reception will follow from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Westmoreland Country Club, 2601 Old Glenview Road, in Wilmette. A private ceremony will take place at Christ School on May 4.

The local community has rallied behind the Fox family since RJ Fox’s death. In several Wilmette neighborhoods, green ribbons around tree trunks wave in the wind in honor of RJ Fox.

Project organizers hope to see as many trees as possible decorated with green ribbons on Saturday before RJ Fox’s memorial across Wilmette.

An obituary from his family states that RJ Fox is survived by his loving parents, Sarah and Bert Fox, and his dear brothers, Jack and Ben, of Wilmette; maternal grandparents Debbie and Doug Cosby of Salem, Illinois; Paternal grandparents Diane and Robert Fox of Boone, North Carolina; Aunt Angela and Uncle Noah Cosby and cousins ​​Pasca, Zoe, Calvin and Adrian of Denver; Aunt Rachel and Uncle Sean Leary and cousin Gracelyn of Wilmington, North Carolina; Aunt Sara and Uncle Kevin Fox and cousins ​​Whitley and Sloane of Charlotte; Aunt Meghan Fox and Uncle Kevin Kinner of Morrisville, North Carolina; and maternal great-grandparents Roberta and Lindy Hosselton of Flora, Illinois.

The Fox family has established a fund in RJ’s name at Christ School to support scholarships and athletics. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to the RJ Fox Memorial Fund. Donations can be made online or by check payable to Christ School, 500 Christ School Road, Arden, NC, 28704.

Robert (RJ) Fox was born on November 6, 2005 to Bert Fox and Sarah Cosby Fox in Charlotte. The family moved to Wilmette in 2011. Wherever he was, RJ supported University of North Carolina athletics and the NFL’s Carolina Panthers.

He attended McKenzie Elementary, Highcrest Middle and Wilmette Junior High School for a year and then New Trier High School. During those years, he played soccer at the Scottish Soccer Academy and “found his passion” at Team ONE Lacrosse, according to the family’s obituary. He also caddyed at Skokie Country Club, where he honed his love for the game of golf.

With his family, RJ made numerous trips to Sea Island, Georgia, and visited his grandparents in Salem, Illinois. In addition, “the mountains of North Carolina became a place of joy and peace for RJ,” who spent many summers with his grandparents at Camp Rockmont and in Boone, North Carolina.

RJ enrolled at Christ School in 2021 and “absolutely blossomed,” his family says. He played for the Greenie lacrosse team, was nominated for the Student and Residential Life Award in 2023, was an honor roll student and “was known for his willingness to help and tutor other students.”

Jim Goodrum was RJ’s advisor at Christ School. The two arrived at the facility at the same time three years ago. With Fox being far from home during the school year, Goodrum became somewhat of a parental figure, attending Fox’s lacrosse games, monitoring his grades, checking in with him regularly and more.

Goodrum said RJ became part of his family and got to know his wife and children, who would visit RJ when they were on campus.

“He’s one of the best young men I’ve ever met,” Goodrum said. “I know he will be a good example for my son.”

He added: “He was focused, well-liked by his colleagues, faculty and staff, quiet at times but with a great sense of humor, and he was deeply respected and loved by all. … He knew pretty much everyone, and everyone knew him. He was someone who brought all groups together. He was very inclusive in his interactions with everyone on campus.”

Goodrum called RJ “goal-oriented” and explained that as a student-athlete, RJ was aware of his academic and athletic standing and worked hard in areas where he felt needed improvement.

For example, Goodrum said that while RJ was on the junior varsity lacrosse team for two years, he trained and showed progress on varsity this season.

“He got the opportunity to be on the varsity team and RJ really stood out and surprised a lot of people with how hard he worked and improved,” Goodrum said.

Goodrum said RJ had a talent for numbers and was excitedly curious about where the talent would take him. Fox participated in multiple college visits with groups from Christ School to explore what his next steps might be.

RJ Fox died on April 6. His memorial service will be held at the Winnetka Congregational Church, 725 Pine St. in Winnetka, at 2 p.m. streamed live online.

“RJ’s ever-present smile lit up the lives of many,” the family wrote. “He quickly became a friend to everyone, he will be remembered for that smile, his easy going attitude, his desire to always help others and his amazing hair! He leaves behind a legacy of love and kindness, and he will be greatly missed in the days to come.”

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