“Foxie”

Alice Fox Ward, a pioneer in the formation of many youth

programs in the City of Costa Mesa and surrounding areas,

died on August 27, 2009, at the age of 90.

In October of 1952, Alice was hired as the parttime

Program Coordinator for the Orange Coast YMCA.

Eventually this part-time job turned into a full-time job.

Alice pioneered the YMCA Day Camp Program using the

Orange County Fair Grounds.

She directed Girls’ Resident Camping at Camp Osceola in

the San Bernardino Mountains for 20 years. She was a YMCA

White Ragger and led a committed Christian life. After

a brief hiatus from the YMCA, during which her family hosted

an American Field Service Student from France and she taught at Happyland Pre-school, she

returned to the YMCA. She was active and contributed to the Capital

Fund Campaign that built the Orange Coast YMCA Building. She

pioneered Girl’s Gypsy Caravan camping, took sixteen delegations

to YMCA Youth and Government in Sacramento; coordinated Tri-

Hi-Y and Hi-Y programs which involved over 800 young people a

year, in seventh through twelfth grades; was President of the Y’s

Menettes, and pioneered the Indian Maiden Program. Upon Alice’s

retirement from the Orange Coast YMCA, the unprecedented

award of “Woman of the Decade,” was bestowed upon her.

Alice is survived by her three adult children Donald Roy

Fox (Fountain Valley, CA), Mary Alice Carlson (San Clemente,

CA) and Dennis James Fox (Lithia Springs, GA). Alice was very

blessed with seven living grandchildren, twelve great grandchildren,

her sister, Ethel Baarstad, and brother, Milton “Bud” Reynolds. Her

husbands Roy Fox, Maury Gibbs, and Howard Ward; her sister,

Mable Hendry; and her grandson, Dustin Fox, preceded her in

death. She was an impeccable role model for all of her loved ones.

Whether you called her Mom, Grandma, GG, Sis, Aunt, or Foxie,

she touched so many lives personally and professionally, and she will

be sorely missed for her positive attitude and loving support.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September

5, 2009, at 2:00 p.m., at the Community Presbyterian Church of

San Juan Capistrano, 32202 Del Obispo Street. In lieu of flowers,

the family asks that donations be made to The YMCA of Orange

County, Attention: Alice Fox Ward Memorial Campership Fund,

13821 Newport Avenue Suite #200, Tustin, CA 92680.