Gerald Cox

Gerald Allan Cox passed into Heaven on Monday, August 30th in Overland Park, Kansas, following a battle with cancer and pneumonia. Gerald was born on 1/28/1929 in Farragut, Iowa to parents Elmer Cox and Victoria Atwood Cox. Gerald married his wife and life-partner of over 70 years, Vivian (Kowitz) Cox at Helena, Missouri in 1950. Together they raised two children, Richard (Lora) Cox and Andrea (Michael) Stanley. He is survived by his wife Vivian, son Richard (Lora) and son-in-law Michael as well as two grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Gerald grew up in want of nothing from his loving family, even though during the heart of the Great Depression. Gerald had numerous jobs during those hard times; delivering milk on his bicycle, trapping raccoon, muskrat and unfortunately the occasional skunk – which would introduce him to a bar of lye soap and his mother's stiff laundry brush before school. He also helped his father with the family gas station, drove a school bus and delivered grain.

He had a love of baseball that culminated with a semi-pro league and a contract offer from the St. Louis Cardinals. Though he didn't take the Cards up on their offer he continued to play semi-pro in college, often playing with barnstorming former pros like Pepper Martin. He received his degree from Northwest Missouri State University followed by courses at LaSalle School of Law. After four years in the Army serving as a counter intelligence Special Agent in cold-war Germany, Gerald taught high school physics and coached girls basketball in Farragut alongside Vivian who also taught in the school system. The family lived in Omaha and Ralston, Nebraska for 24 years where he worked as a claims adjuster and manager and later as a partner in a private claims adjusting business. The couple moved in 1982 to and renovated Vivian's childhood home near Rochester, Missouri until health considerations gave them the opportunity to spend the next 26 years in Colorado Springs where he served the Methodist Church as Lay Leader, Head Usher and other positions.

Gerald retired as an investigator in Colorado Springs in 2000 and set to his second career as an author of Irish-themed novels. The couple moved to the Kansas City area to be closer to family in their retirement years.

Preceding Gerald in death were his parents; siblings Richard E. Cox and sisters Marie (Hilton) Griswold and Neva (Mason) Strawhacker, and daughter Andrea.

Memorial services will be held 10:00 September 18th at Hope United Church of Christ in Cosby, Missouri with inurnment following at the Savannah City Cemetery.