Basic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Loretta B. Fox |
| Maiden name | Eagono |
| Approximate birth year | c. 1940 |
| Birthplace | Pennsylvania, United States |
| Ancestry | Half Italian, half British |
| Occupation | Schoolteacher |
| Spouse | Francis G. Fox |
| Children | Francis Fox Jr. (b. 1961), Matthew Chandler Fox (b. July 14, 1966), Bayard Fox (b. 1969) |
| Grandchildren | Kyle Allison (b. 1998), Byron (b. 2001) |
| Primary residence | Crowheart, Wyoming (ranch on or near Wind River Indian Reservation) |
| Public profile | Private; minimal media and social media presence |
Biography and Early Years
Loretta B. Fox grew up in Pennsylvania, the product of two cultural streams that shaped her temper and her taste for modesty. Half Italian and half British by ancestry, she carried a quiet sense of tradition into every room she entered. Born around 1940, her early life is a patchwork of memory and family lore rather than headline-making events. Marriage to Francis G. Fox set the stage for a life that would pivot from suburban roots to open sky. The move changed the family in ways that cannot be measured by dollars or fame. It remade them.
The relocation from Abington, Pennsylvania to Crowheart, Wyoming happened in the late 1960s. It was a conscious turn toward a hands-on existence. The family planted themselves on a ranch where longhorn cattle, horses, and barley fields stitched daily rhythm to season. The Wyoming landscape became the canvas for Loretta’s quieter achievements.
Family, Home, and the Ranch Life
The Fox household was not one of celebrity. It was a workshop where practical skills were taught by example and values were learned in the field. Loretta, while working as a schoolteacher, balanced lesson plans with barn chores and back-to-school routines that started at sunrise. Her husband Francis brought a Pennsylvania lineage to the West. According to family accounts, his background included ties to established families in Pennsylvania and a claim of descent from Union General George Meade. The couple raised three sons whom they encouraged to be self-reliant.
Numbers tell part of the story of scale and chronology. The family moved around 1967 when Matthew was about one year old. The eldest son, Francis Jr., was born in 1961; Matthew followed in 1966; Bayard arrived in 1969. Through the 1970s and 1980s the ranch functioned as both workplace and classroom. Barley was grown in quantities intended for commercial use. Cattle and horses were kept in numbers that supported the homestead life. The farm produced sustenance and stability more than publicity.
Career as Educator and Community Member
Loretta’s professional life centered on teaching. She taught in local schools, likely in the Wyoming area after the family moved, and her work contributed to a small community fabric. Teaching in a rural setting required practicality and patience. Classrooms were intimate, resources were modest, and teachers often wore many hats. Loretta’s role there complemented the physical labor of ranch life and kept the household anchored to the rhythms of schooling and harvest.
No public awards or formal honors appear in the record for Loretta. Her achievements are domestic and communal. They are found in the habits she passed to her children and in the low-key steadiness that defined daily life on the ranch. The measure of her work is the grown adults who speak of resilience and groundedness when they recall their upbringing.
Family Members: Profiles and Dates
| Name | Relation | Born | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Francis G. Fox | Husband | Date unknown | Former oil company consultant turned rancher; raised cattle and grew barley |
| Francis Fox Jr. | Son (eldest) | 1961 | Maintains privacy; little public information |
| Matthew Chandler Fox | Son (middle) | July 14, 1966 | Actor known for roles in Party of Five and Lost; married in August 1992; two children |
| Bayard Fox | Son (youngest) | 1969 | Also maintains privacy; raised on the Wyoming ranch |
Matthew’s career in film and television is the most visible public strand of the family story. He credits a childhood lived outdoors and a family that prized self-reliance for much of the character he brings to his roles. Loretta’s influence appears less as public narrative and more as the grounding axis of a family that weathered a cross-country transition and embraced a new livelihood.
Timeline of Key Events
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| c. 1940 | Loretta B. Eagono born in Pennsylvania |
| 1961 | Birth of eldest son Francis Jr. |
| July 14, 1966 | Birth of Matthew Chandler Fox in Abington, Pennsylvania |
| 1967 | Family relocation to Crowheart, Wyoming |
| 1969 | Birth of youngest son Bayard in Wyoming |
| 1970s to 1990s | Loretta teaches while family operates ranch and farms barley for commercial sale |
| August 1992 | Matthew marries Margherita Ronchi |
| 1998 | Birth of granddaughter Kyle Allison |
| 2001 | Birth of grandson Byron |
The timeline underscores the domestic cadence of Loretta’s life. Dates mark births and relocations. They map a shift from Pennsylvania neighborhood lanes to Wyoming pasture lanes. The events are modest but profound.
Public Presence, Media, and Legacy
Loretta has avoided the glare of publicity. She maintains a private life and leaves the spotlight to her son. Searches for her name yield minimal results beyond family mentions; there are no active public social profiles tied to her and no recent media appearances. The family’s story persists in short biographies and in the personal recollections of those who knew them. On rare occasions a YouTube clip or a trivia list will include her as part of Matthew’s background, but nothing substantial centers on her.
Legacy in this case is subtle. It lives in the two grandchildren born to Matthew and in the quiet transmission of values: steadiness, practical work, and the capacity to move from one life to another and make a home. Like a hidden root system, Loretta’s influence supports visible growth without demanding notice.
Household Rhythm and Numbers
Day to day, the ranch meant a division of labor measured in hours and seasons. Barley fields required planting and harvesting cycles set by weather. Cattle herds needed feeding and care. School schedules and community events punctuated the year. The family’s move occurred when the second son was about one year old and the eldest son was about six years old. The ranch life stretched across decades and shaped three sons into adults who, with differing degrees of public presence, carried the imprint of that upbringing.
FAQ
Who is Loretta B. Fox?
Loretta B. Fox is a former schoolteacher known primarily as the mother of actor Matthew Fox and as a long time resident of a Wyoming ranch.
When was she born?
She was born around 1940, with the exact date not publicly documented.
Where did she live after marriage?
She and her husband relocated from Pennsylvania to Crowheart, Wyoming around 1967 and raised their family on a ranch.
What did she do for a living?
She worked as a schoolteacher and helped sustain a rural household while her husband managed ranching operations.
How many children does she have?
She has three sons: Francis Fox Jr. born in 1961, Matthew Chandler Fox born in 1966, and Bayard Fox born in 1969.
Is she active on social media?
No active social media accounts tied to her have been found; she maintains a private profile.
Are there public stories or interviews about her?
Public information about her is minimal and limited to family mentions and short biographical notes.
What legacy did she leave?
Her legacy is lived through family values, practical resilience, and a quiet influence on her children and grandchildren.
