Paula Marie Fox

Paula Huey Fox, 74, a Minnesota librarian for more than three decades and lover of books and cats since childhood, died June 17 after a long, courageous battle from cancer complications. She was born in St. John's Hospital in Fargo, N.D., on Dec. 29, 1951, the same hospital where brother David, sister Pamela and brother Timothy were born and where their dad, Robert, brought his movie camera every time to record the blessed events, and where the nuns remarked, "There's Mr. Huey with his camera again." Paula was named after the troop ship, the Santa Paula, that brought her father home from World War II. Her family lived in Moorhead, MN, until she was 7, in Bismarck, ND, until age 13 and finally in Glenview, a Chicago suburb, graduating from Maine East High School in suburban Park Ridge in 1970. Her dad, in his yearly Christmas letter, called Paula a "jigsaw wizard and good little reader" when she was 5. Paula played the violin in high school with Handel's "Messiah" one of her favorite pieces. Her connections to libraries started early. Her dad wrote in his 1965 Christmas letter, after the family moved to Illinois: "Paula almost overdid it on one of her trips to the Glenview Public Library, where she worked parttime at her favorite hangout. She slipped, carrying an armful of books, injuring her right leg and leaving her on crutches." As she grew up, Paula dreamed of being a librarian, visiting the Bismarck bookmobile weekly during her years there. After she graduated from Hope College in Holland, MI, in 1974, and earned a master's degree in Library Science at the University of Illinois, Paula realized that dream. She first worked as a librarian in the Elmhurst, IL, Public Library, and then attained her goal of working in Minnesota, at libraries in Albert Lea, Fergus Falls and the Twin Cities, including Ridgedale, St. Anthony and finally Southdale. She wrote in a letter to her parents in 1978: "I'm very proud to be a Minnesotan." She retired from the Hennepin County Library (HCL) system in 2013. She was well read, excellent at her job and a valued colleague. She enjoyed her work with the gigantic pamphlet file and government documents at Southdale. Not surprisingly, outside of work, she was a great "JEOPARDY!" player. Paula's family included her precious cats: Loretta, Soxy, Oscar and Honey. She was a longtime member and active in Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis and the PEO sisterhood. Paula was a loyal friend to many. She made and kept friends from her St. Louis Park neighborhood, her church, the libraries, PEO and her book group. One friend wrote this compliment when she heard Paula had cancer a second time: "You were always there to listen and give good advice and to have a good laugh with." Paula was also known for her generosity to all sorts of animals, people and causes including butterflies, horses, pigs, the arctic fox, guide dogs, liberal politics, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and of course, cats. Paula married Terry Fox in Fergus Falls in 1981, and they were later divorced. Paula is survived by her brother, David of Arden Hills (Marcia), sister Pamela of Edina (Paul Walsh), brother Timothy of Davenport, Iowa, (Sandra Doran), niece Sara Huey of Ham Lake (Chad Lau), nephews Jon Huey of Vancouver, WA, (Kathryn Vuylsteke), Benjamin Walsh of Phoenix and Anthony Walsh of Minneapolis (Feyi Adewoye), great nephew Joey Lau of Duluth (Natalie Taylor), and great nieces Ana Marie Lau of Ham Lake, and Violette Walsh of Minneapolis. She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Muriel Huey, and nephew James Huey. Her family thanks all of her wonderful friends for their help and support during Paula's long fight with cancer. She prefers memorials to Westminster Church or your favorite animal charity. Her funeral will be held on Friday, July 24 at 2 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church. A reception will follow, and free parking is available on site.

Paula Marie Fox

December 29, 1951 - June 17, 2026

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