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Robin Fox

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On the morning of January 18, 2024, Robin Fox, 89, of Princeton NJ and Sanibel Island, died from the dementia monster. Robin was born in Yorkshire, England. He was proud to have been raised in the country of the Bronte sisters. His father, John, was a British soldier. His mother was a nanny for a time. Robin had no siblings. During WW11, as a youth, he was fascinated with the prisoners who were housed near him. Together they would sing songs.

On being taken to his first library, the huge number of books overwhelmed him. He wondered to himself how long would it take for him to read every one of them. His attempt certainly springboarded his imagination.

Leaving country life behind, Robin attended the London School of Economics. He also pursued academics at Harvard, taught at Exeter University and returned to the L.S.E. to teach anthropology. There, he had a student a few years older than himself who intended to leave classes to join the BBC. You’ll regret leaving school he told him. The student: Sir David Attenborough!

From his first marriage he had three sweetheart daughters: Kate, Ellie and Anne. Each one lives in England with kind and caring husbands. Robin also had grandsons and other family members all of whom knew he adored them.

Robin and Lin Fox were married at West Point, NY. The military connection always made him smile. They met at a party, where she was the only one wearing a hat. He said to himself “this one is different”. She said to herself “this one could win my heart”.

Robin wrote a dozen books. His first, KINSHIP and MARRIAGE were comprised from his teaching lectures. It catapulted him to international acclaim. His last, PARTICIPANT OBSERVER was a memoir of his time blending in with the life and culture of various groups. He also wrote with Lionel Tiger, a colleague from Rutgers University, while at the same time, both running the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation giving out grants to various researchers.

His scholarship took him in different directions as well. He even waded in on the Shakespeare authorship question. Robin was also a member of the National Academy of Sciences. He spent 50 years at Rutgers University.

Whether writing or just relaxing, he enjoyed conversation, music and sailing with friends around Sanibel. In particular, he never lost interest in watching “Boris” the alligator sun himself on the lakeshore.

To all who knew him and to those who only knew his scripted words, thank you for your attention. It helps to mitigate the burden of a widow’s grief. I did love and lost but only after 49 wonderful years of togetherness.