On Sunday, September 18, 2016 Linda Norene (Fox) Engel, or rural Denver, MO, left this world to be with the Lord. Linda was born in El Reno, Oklahoma on February 3, 1943 to Philip Arlo Fox and Hesper Norene (Kowen) Fox. Later, she was joined by her brothers Barry Ross and Philip Boyd Fox. Linda’s early childhood was spent living in the “secret city” of Los Alamos, NM where he father, a security guard, witnessed the detonation of the atomic bomb. She spent several years here going to school and playing in the nearby, ancient ruins of the pueblos with the other children of the city. As the years went by, the family moved to Overland Park, KS where she grew to womanhood. She loved to tell stories of how she would put on her Sunday best and catch the train a Union Station to visit her grandparents in Slater, MO, originally from the Blue Ridge, MO area, where her grandfather Kowen and many others of the family are buried. The “star room” at her Nana’s was always a comfort to her when she stayed there, and good food was remembered at the Bungalow Café that they owned.
Linda graduated from Kansas City Business College and worked for Bendix Cooperation in Kansas City as a secretary where this quick witted, red-haired beauty met her match in life. On April 16, 1966 she married Dr. William Joseph Engel, Jr., taking their holy sacrament of marriage at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Kansas City. Becoming a devoted wife led to her becoming a wonderful mother in 1967. They first welcomed Heather Norene, and then came Holly Marie, followed by William Joseph III (Jay). This family of five had many happy, hard-working years together. Trips to Canada were a particular favorite memory she had of them all being together.
Through the years Linda wore many hats and wore them well. She continued as secretary to Bill as he held a career as a professor at many local and national colleges, she ran the family rental properties in the Kansas City area (it was said that you had to be a saint to rent a house from Linda Engel), she was a meticulous homemaker while still running the business and Bill. Another job she loved was that of being a foster mom for babies with the Catholic Charities.
In later years, she and Bill prepared for their retirement as they sold piece of their life in Kansas City and in 1984 began purchasing farmland in northwest Missouri, where in 1991 they made Worth County, MO their final, permanent home. They wanted to move to a place where they could live out their lives peacefully and have something to pass on to their children and grandchildren. Of all these many hats, the biggest brimmed one carried the love and joy for her children as a mother.
Today, Heather, Holly and Jay along with her eight grandchildren, are her greatest accomplishment, her legacy. They will carry on her stories, her memories, and life lessons she so diligently passed on to each of them. There are so many memories to be cherished, never forgotten.
Linda Norene (Fox) Engel was preceded in death by her Mother, Hesper Norene (Kowen) Fox and her Father, Philip Arlo Fox. She is survived by her beloved “Bill” of 50 years, daughter Heather Norene (Engel) Daubenberger and her husband Brad, with daughters Megan and Kate of Maple Grove, MN. Holly Marie (Engel) Smothers and her husband Dan, with their daughters Bailee, Rilee and Jaynee of Buckner, Mo. William Joseph Engel, III (Jay) and his wife Danelle Jo (DJ) (Boldt) with their children Will, Keelin, and Eva of Denver, MO. Also surviving are brothers two brothers, Barry Fox, Baldwin City, MO and Boyd Fox, Philadelphia, PA, Aunts Hazel Bellemy of Rio Rancho, NM and Helen of Slater, MO, along with many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Private family services will be held for Linda. Inurnment will be at a later date in the Wharton Cemetery, which is surrounded by the beauty of their family farm, in rural Denver, MO.
Memorials can be made to:
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church
1208 South 25th Street
Bethany, MO 64424
Or
Mosaic Life Care Hospice
137 North Belt Highway
St Joseph, MO 64506
Arrangements: andrewshannfuneralhome.com
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