Local Businesswoman Marianne Fox Dies in Plane Crash

This morning, Corvallisite Marianne Fox, owner of Restyle, passed away after an airplane crash at Northeast Regional Airport in At. Augustine, Florida. The cause of the accident is under investigation, although early assumptions lean toward a bird strike as there are many migrating through Florida right now.

On Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. EST, Fox was flying an Extra 300 Stunt Plane when for inexplicable reasons, it dove into a salt marsh at the end of the runway. Immediately following the accident, Fox was taken to a hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.

A Shining Star

Marianne Fox was well liked and respected in our town. Her original resale shop Restyle was “born from a passion to help clients sell items that are no longer loved to someone new.” The shop was an inviting place to find stylish and retro clothing, and it expanded into floral design, stationery, and home and kitchen decor.

The shop’s Facebook page reads, “There are no words to describe this loss for us. We are deeply saddened and heartbroken by this news. It is extremely hard for us to share this, especially like this. We wanted to let our community know since so many of you knew this wonderful owner, woman, mom, and friend. Because of Marianne, a space of wonder, beauty, and safety was brought to our community… Marianne’s legacy will live on through our beautiful stores, strong team, and our cherished memories. We are sending love to all who crossed paths with our incredible friend.”

Fox is survived by her longtime partner, Jim Bourke, with whom she shared a love of flying. No additional information about her immediate family is currently available.

Bourke writes, “We are so happy to have known Marianne and to have experienced the joy of sharing our lives with her, yet our grief will never pass. Arrangements are being made for a funeral near her childhood home in Oregon. Marianne delighted in the close company of her innumerable friends and her amazing family. She was adventurous, charming, intelligent, and caring. Her success in everything she did inspired us, whether she was demonstrating her prowess as a business leader, pushing herself during a morning run, or flexing her muscles as an interior decorator. Everything she touched was made better.”

Family has asked for privacy at this time.

 

By Sally K Lehman

Do you have a story for The Advocate? Email editor@corvallisadvocate.com