Prof. David Fox led U's computer science department

David Fox of Winnsboro, S.C., a retired chairman of the University of Minnesota's Computer Science and Engineering Department, died last month shortly after the single-engine plane he was flying crashed in Michigan.

He was 77.

Fox pioneered computer programs and mathematical analyses that aided quantum physicists and mechanical engineers in their work, said Dan Boley, a professor of computer science and engineering at the university.

Fox, who earned his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Maryland in 1958, served as a professor of mathematics at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and as a director of Mathematical and Informational Sciences for the Air Force before coming to Minnesota in 1985 to lead the computer sciences department at a time of rapid growth.

He increased the number of faculty members from 18 to 28, added class sections to reduce the number of students waiting for courses from thousands to hundreds, and gained support for the department's new building.

But while Fox was its leader, the department became embroiled in a much-publicized internal feud. One professor resigned, and Fox stepped down as chairman. He stayed on as a professor until he retired in 1999.

Boley said Fox remained a helpful senior colleague in the department. "It was nice to have the elder statesman who had the experience to put things into perspective," Boley said.

On Aug. 23, Fox, who often flew from South Carolina to his summer home in Michigan, was flying solo in a single-engine airplane in Mecosta County, Mich., when he sent an emergency radio message that he was running low on fuel. According to the Associated Press, he tried to avoid hitting buildings and people before his plane struck a tree and made a hard landing in a field. He died after being taken to two nearby hospitals.

He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Lily, of Winnsboro; sons Clifford, of Wilton, Conn., and Chris, of Slidell, La., and seven grandchildren.

A private family service is planned.

Ben Cohen • bcohen@startribune.com