Eleanor Fox, RSCJ

Birth: March 1, 1933
Profession: July 21, 1963
Death: February 3, 2025

Religious of the Sacred Heart, Sister Eleanor Fox died on February 3, 2025, in Albany, New York. She was 91 years old and a religious for 71 years. Eleanor, affectionately known as “Fox,” was born on March 1, 1933, in New York City to Benedict Fox and Florence Stanley Fox. She graduated from Manhattanville College in 1954 earning a BA in Math and entered the Society of the Sacred Heart a few months later in August at Kenwood in Albany. Eleanor pronounced her first vows at Kenwood in 1957.

Beginning in 1958, Sister Fox first taught at the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Detroit, Michigan, for a few months, followed by time at Academy of the Sacred Heart, Rochester, New York (1958-1962). She went on to teach at Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich, for one year and then left for Rome to prepare for her final profession, which she made on July 21, 1963. When she returned from Rome, Sister Fox began teaching at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Albany, New York, until 1966. Her next teaching assignment was at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, 91st Street in New York. She would spend the next twenty-nine years at 91st Street, serving in various academic roles and in the spiritual life of the school. She also created the logo for the school. At 91st Street, Sister Fox diversified the curriculum to include anthropology and expanded the Western Civilization course to include a greater humanities component. She also created supplementary textbooks to complement the coursework. She created a senior course utilizing the New York Times as a platform to engage students to explore economic issues and current events. A copy of the paper would be placed on each student’s desk and current events would be analyzed and discussed. Alumnae remember her energetic and lively demeanor. In the September 1996 issue of the Journal of Alumnae Association of Convent of the Sacred Heart, 91st Street, it states, “While good teachers prepare, improvise and react, the gifted imbue the students with reflection. By gracing her role and dismissing the fact that she was older, smarter, wiser, implying it would be our road, she transformed an informal debating class into a class of conviction.” 

Sister Fox continued to teach at 91st Street, moving to part-time in 1994 for one year, while studying at Baruch College to complete the TESOL program. She received her certificate in August 1995. She also began teaching ESL at the Borough of Manhattan Community College. The college was part of an immersion program started by City University of New York – Language Immersion Program (CUNY-LIP) mostly for immigrants who had been accepted at the CUNY colleges but needed to improve their English in order to succeed. As the program grew, Sister Fox became the program tutor.

In 1994, some students at Tufts University nominated Sister Fox for special recognition as an outstanding teacher. The students identified her as a teacher “who has seriously challenged her students and contributed significantly to their intellectual and personal development.”

Sister Fox retired from 91st Street in 1995 but continued teaching ESL for a few years. She eventually moved to the Avila Retirement Community in 2016. In 2020, as she needed more care, Sister Fox moved to Teresian House, where she was much loved by her community and other residents. 

At the end of January, Sister Fox began her final journey, and on February 3,, 2025, she peacefully went to God.

A Mass of the Resurrection for Eleanor Fox, RSCJ, will be held at St. Madeleine Sophie Parish on Monday, February 10th at 10:30 a.m. Burial will take place in the Kenwood Cemetery of the Religious of the Sacred Heart followed by a small reception at Avila.

Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Sister Fox to the Society of the Sacred Heart, P.O. Box 958047, St. Louis, MO 63195-8047 or online at https://rscj.org/donate.