Rita Lenora Carlson Fox

Rita Lenora Carlson Fox, 77, of Taylorsville, left her body and reunited with her best friend and the love of her life, W.J., on Thursday, September 3, 2026. Rita was born on July 1, 1949, in Valparaiso, FL, to the late Ivan Eugene Carlson and Rosa Belle “Rosie” Reese Carlson and grew up with her five siblings in Alexander County. She married William James “W.J.” Fox on December 31, 1964, and was married for over 44 years until he passed on August 29, 2009 — she thought about him every single day. She was Mom to Todd Fox (Nancy) and Tina Fox Herndon (Marty), and her greatest joy was being MawMaw to her grandchildren: Cody Fox, Daniel Fox (Payton), Seth Herndon, and Micah Herndon and to her great-grandchildren: Coulson Fox and Sandler Fox.

In addition to Rita’s parents and her husband, three of her sisters went on before her: Rachel Carlson Martin, Linda Carlson Troxclair, and Judy Carlson George. In addition to her kids and grandkids, those left to cherish her memory are two of her siblings: Charlie Carlson (Lorene) and Anita Carlson Huffman (Ronnie), her siblings-in-law: Jerry Fox (Joy), Jane Fox Sweet (Allen), and Tony Fox (Marquita), nieces and nephews, and all of her many friends throughout the years, who she all loved so much.

Rita worked for multiple companies in the furniture industry, cutting fabric. She loved her church, Smyrna Baptist in Taylorsville, of which she was an active member for 62 years. She loved going to the beach and to the mountains — traveling of any kind, playing games, watching her game shows (and Everybody Loves Raymond), getting her hair and nails done, eating at fish camps, going out for breakfast, and most of all — just spending time with her family and friends. Despite her many significant health challenges over the past twenty years, she loved life and lived it to the fullest. Rita was the funniest person and loved to get everybody laughing, and she was also the strongest, most independent person and was a fighter until the very end. She was larger than life—truly one of one. We all will miss her so much and find peace in knowing that she is with her W.J. again and is finally at peace. Her love will live on through all of her stories, sayings, and fun memories and in the laughs they will continue to bring us in the years to come until we are with her again.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, September 6, 2026, from 2:00 pm to 3:45 pm at Smyrna Baptist Church. The Rev. Mitch King and Seth Herndon will officiate the funeral service at 4:00 pm. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

We would like to thank all of her healthcare providers over the years, including the staff at Iredell Memorial Hospital for the care they provided in her final days, and to all others who have cared for her, especially her sister-in-law, Lorene Carlson, for the care she gave over the past couple of years.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Rita’s honor to the American Liver Foundation, PO Box 299, West Orange, NJ 07052, or to Smyrna Baptist Church, 6174 Church Rd, Taylorsville, NC 28681.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Alexander Funeral and Cremation Service.

Condolences may be sent to www.alexfuneralservice.com