Cameron Fox was born on September 16, 1936 and passed away on April 18, 2026. In every moment between, she was exactly as her voicemail greeting promised: “Out enjoying the universe.”

She was raised by her parents Robert and Alice Michie in a lively, intergenerational home in Memphis, Tennessee alongside beloved sisters, Betty Jo and Alice, and her grandmother, Viola Ferguson. As a young girl, she moved to Oxford, Mississippi, where she met her future husband, Tad Smith, Jr. Together they began their family and made their home in Clinton, Mississippi. Later in life, Cameron and her second husband, John H. Fox III, shared a long and loving marriage, blending their two families over nearly four decades. Their home was a place where people gathered easily and often.

Cameron was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Alice Michie; her sisters, Betty Jo and Alice; her husbands, Tad Smith, Jr., and John H. Fox III; her daughter, Vicki Byrne Generelly (survived by husband, Peter); granddaughter, Katy Byrne, and her grandson, John Clark.

She will be lovingly remembered by her children: Wendy Lea; Trey Smith (Debra); and David Smith (Lara); and by her stepchildren: Carrie Clark (Sam); John H. Fox IV, Martin Fox (Sherri); and Lelia Ellen Fox.

She will be cherished by her grandchildren: Evan Byrne; Sarah Byrne Bausell (Kenneth); Taylor Smith; Gentry Smith (Maggie); Phin Generelly (Walker); Henry, Annie, and Chuck Smith; Chad Fox (Lauren); Lindsay Fox Williams (Bryce); Amy Clark Wetzel (Brent); and Jennie Pauge (Thomas); by her great-grandchildren: Ayers and Phoebe Bausell; Silas and Sylvie Generelly; Anderson and Amelia Fox; Cedar and Arden Williams; William, Matt, and Leslie Pauge; and by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Cameron enjoyed a long career in nursing, earning advanced degrees and specializing in psychiatric care for veterans. For many years, she worked at the Jackson VA Medical Center as a therapist and educator, supporting veterans from World War II, the Korean Conflict, and Vietnam through both individual counseling and regular group sessions. She also served in private practice with Clinical Counseling Associates. Over a career that began in 1973, she became known as a steady and compassionate presence for those finding their way through trauma toward healing.

Her spirit of service didn’t stop at her profession. Cameron served on the Board of Directors for VSA Mississippi and was the original teacher of the VA/VSA Veterans Art Class. In a meaningful full circle, she later joined the Art for All Mississippi Community Art Group, continuing to create and connect through art alongside adult artists with disabilities.She also answered the call to serve with the American Red Cross, providing emergency mental health support in the wake of natural disasters in places such as Houston, New Orleans, and Guam. In 2008, she was honored by former U.S. President George W. Bush with the President’s Volunteer Service Award, recognizing her generous and steady service to others in times of crisis.

Cameron lived each day guided by two practices: creativity and spirituality. She carried both with her wherever she went and encouraged others to do the same. As a young woman, she attended Juilliard’s summer ballet program and was always ready to dance whenever music entered the room. Her creativity showed up in every corner of her life, through oil paintings, murals, sketches, and handwritten notes of encouragement, often written in ALL CAPS. She had a gift for capturing not just what she saw but also what she hoped others might feel.

She was a devoted Eckankar student, and her spiritual life was a steady foundation, rooted in meditation and a reverence for dreams and soul travel. Her joy flowed from this practice, and that joy had a way of opening space for others to feel themselves fully.

Cameron had an adventurous spirit and a love for the wider world. With her husband, John Fox III, she explored many faraway places, including Bhutan and Peru, and across Europe, taking in beauty wherever she found it. As much as she loved adventure, some of Cameron’s happiest moments were right at home, in Clinton. There, she welcomed her grandchildren for countless “Camp Cameron” adventures and rode her four-wheeler around the lake each day, often alongside dear friends and her faithful dog, Hobo. She loved being surrounded by her children, stepchildren, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and found deep joy in gathering together and sharing laughter.

Cameron Fox was a friend and guide to many. We benefited from her constant gifts of JOY and LOVE. She lived as a light among us—vibrant and unrestrained—showing us that to be fully alive is to be joyful, to be loving, and to be free.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes contributions to Art for All Mississippi at artforallms.com. A celebration of Cameron’s life will be held on May 16 11:30 - 2:00, where family and friends are invited to gather, share stories, and give thanks for her extraordinary life.