Bessie H. Fox, a homemaker and former Columbia resident, died Monday of Alzheimer's disease at Maple Hill, an assisted-living facility in Laurel. She was 87.

Bessie Hutton was born and raised in Newport News, Va., and Hampton, Va. After graduating from Hampton High School in 1939, she worked as a secretary.

In 1945, she married Melvin Fox, a career Navy chief, and lived in Hawaii, Okinawa and San Diego. He died in 1976.

Mrs. Fox, who enjoyed flower and vegetable gardening, moved to Columbia from San Diego in 1992.

She enjoyed cooking and entertaining and was a dog lover.

Plans for graveside services to be held in San Diego were incomplete yesterday.

Surviving are her daughter, Margaret A. Fox of Columbia; a brother, Henry Hutton of Fort Myers, Fla; and a sister, Isabelle Eutsey of Zellwood, Fla.

Frederick N. Rasmussen