South Jersey mother publishes a book written by her daughter who tragically passed away

Monday, January 5, 2026
WEST DEPTFORD, New Jersey (WPVI) -- The mission of this South Jersey mom to honor her daughter has taken the form of a children's book.

Tess Fox tragically passed away in 2024, but her story lives on in "Cheese Tales: Cheese and the Big Sneeze."

"It was my absolute honor to fulfill this wish for Tess to be a published author. She may not be here physically, but she's here in spirit and she is part of that book," said Tess' Mother, Judi Fox.

The book is inspired by Tess Fox's adopted dog: "Cheese."

Now, the book can be seen on the shelves of the West Deptford Free Public Library.



"Being her husband, I was lucky enough to sit there and watch her write the book originally, and I know how much it meant to her...To see it come to life means everything to me. To see her mom carry this book and her legacy, I know Tess is somewhere out there smiling down," said Kevin Merkle of Springfield, Pennsylvania.

One of the ways this can be purchased on Mascot Books,.

Portions of the proceeds collected will support the Tess Kathryn Fox Memorial Scholarship.

"Tess was loved, she is missed, and it becomes bittersweet because she should be here. She will live on...because of people talking about her and resonating with the fact that she may not be here, but she's always remembered," said Judi Fox.

For more information, check out the video above.



Also, check out their website.
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