Kaye Fox, who led the Open Door Mission for about 25 years, has died at her home in South Carolina at the age of 74.
When Fox led the mission from 1976 to 2001, she was known as Ken Fox, later announcing her identity as a woman. When Fox left the mission, her son, Ron Fox led the mission for several years.
The current executive director of the Open Door Mission, Mike Hennessy, issued a statement which said that during his tenure, Ken Fox helped thousands of Rochester's most impoverished citizens find food, clothing, shelter and compassionate care.
Lawrence Krieger, a Rochester attorney who previously represented Fox, called her a "gentle soul." He says the cause of death was Alzheimer's disease.
