Barbara May Fox (née Markwell), 82, of Wheaton, passed away June 5th, 2019, with her loving family by her side. She died from complications of COPD and lung cancer.

She was born on May 23rd, 1937, in Chicago and raised in the Englewood neighborhood. Her parents abandoned her as a baby and she was raised by the couple they left her with.  She graduated from Jones Commercial High School (Jones College Prep).  She worked as a secretary and eventually got into the plastics business in the 50's and met the late Charles Franklin Fox. They married and resided in Glenside, PA until moving to Glen Ellyn, IL in 1967. In 1975 the family moved to neighboring Wheaton.

Barbara, who artistically went by "The Verselady," was an accomplished visual artist, painter, craft-maker, early-era computer enthusiast, video producer/editor and loving homemaker. Many a neighborhood child would be found in the family home creating something special from her bag of crafting tricks. When showing her wild side, she'd run the local Halloween Haunted House at both Hawthorne Elementary School in Glen Ellyn and also in the family's basement. The "Verselady" always loved playing the role of the witch.

"Every Christmas, Mom would paint, without stenciling, Jesus Christ's Baby in the Manger scene on our large picture window from inside our house and only occasionally go outside to see the results," said her son, Chuck.  "She had an uncanny visual memory that allowed her to look at a white ceiling and start reciting the bible, chapter and verse, directly from her memory. Her life's mission was to translate verses, using visual metaphor, into arts and crafts. 'Making the Word of God Visible' was the slogan for her website," her son added.

She was an expert computer user, Commodore's, Amiga's & Mac's mostly, and would animate, produce and edit numerous television programs over the years for Wheaton's WCTV channel.  Quite a few of the programs she donated her time and effort to were for people and groups in need, including helping a young Wheaton boy attain, and then maintain, a heart transplant.

Barbara is survived by three children: Linda Fox of Park Ridge; Chuck Fox of Chicago; and Kevin Fox of Las Vegas. She is also survived by two grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Barbara was predeceased by her loving husband in 1996.

Funeral Services and Interment are being held private for her family.