Glenn Wayne Fox formerly of Oakdale, California, last of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, died on June 15, 2020, at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He suffered a brain hemorrhage from which he did not recover. He was 73 years old, divorced, and had no children. Glenn was born in Modesto, CA and grew up in Oakdale, CA.
Glenn graduated from Oakdale High School in 1965. He attended radio announcer school and had a long local career with radio stations KTRB and KHOP in Modesto, CA. He was also a talk show host for station KWHN in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Glenn was known as the “Silver Fox” in part due to his great broadcast voice. Derek Waring who worked with Glenn at KTRB during those early days recalls, “Glenn was a gentle man with a great sense of humor. He loved his job and put everything he had into it”
Here’s an audio clip of Glenn from November 27, 1974. It was Derek Waring’s last show on KTRB and Glenn stopped by the KTRB studios to wish him well. You can hear more of Glenn’s on-air work by visiting his Aircheck Page (see link at the end of this tribute).
In 1993 Glenn’s parents, Allen and Marie Fox, who had originally migrated to California from Sallisaw during the Great Depression, decided to move back to their home area in Sallisaw. Glenn moved with them. In the late 1990s his parents’ health declined and they moved back to Oakdale while he remained in Sallisaw. Glenn had a variety of jobs and finally purchased a local bar, The Finish Line, which he operated until about 2010. He advertised the bar as “Coldest Beer in Downtown Sallisaw.”
When he was young Glenn raced dirt bikes and became a huge fan of NASCAR. He became a great source of local and national history in both Oakdale and Sallisaw, in particular country and rock and roll songs and performers, NASCAR drivers, classic cars, and especially the life and times of Pretty Boy Floyd, a local Depression outlaw. He dedicated a portion of his bar to an historical display about him. He often returned to Oakdale to visit family and friends, especially for class reunions.
Glenn was cremated and his ashes returned to the home of his sister, Pauline Fox Ward and her husband Michael Ward. No other members of his immediate family, mother, father, brother Robert and sister Mary Lou have survived. He is survived by nieces Torri Bergstrom and Stephanie Bjorge, grand nephew Jeremiah Lobaugh (Hailey, son Noah) and grand niece Tiffany Byrd as well as his sister in law Susan Fox and her children nephew Michael (Martia, daughters Catherine, Elizabeth) and niece Patricia (Joel, son Milo).
Family and friends will gather for a remembrance as soon as pandemic conditions allow. If you’d like to receive details on Glenn’s Memorial Service please contact the family at (209) 499- 0012.
I am sorry to hear of Glenn’s passing. I had the pleasure of working with Glenn at KTRB. He was a very kind man. I looked up to him, as he was a veteran by the time we worked together in the late ’80’s, and I learned a lot from him. He was quiet off the air, but a great guy to work with. Glenn will be missed. May he Rest In Peace.