OAK ISLAND — James Floyd Cox, Jr., age 78 , of Bluefield, VA, and Oak Island, NC, passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 13, at the Lower Cape Fear Life Care Facility in Bolivia, NC, following a 10 day battle with metastatic brain cancer.
Jim was born December 30, 1945, in Price Hill, West Virginia, to the late James Floyd Cox and Helen Elkins Cox Meadows. Jim was a graduate of Mount Hope High School, Class of 1964. He worked for several years for New River Coal Company before starting his life long career in the cemetery/funeral business. Jim started his career as a salesman at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens in Beckley, WV in 1971. In 1974 he moved to Bluefield, VA as sales manager at Grandview Memory Gardens. He later became manager of Roselawn Memorial Gardens in Princeton, WV before becoming a regional manager covering 13 states. He was active in various state cemetery associations and a three time president of the WV Cemetery Association.
Jim is survived by his wife, Connie Boyd Cox, that he met when they were 12 years old. They spent their entire adult life working and raising their family together. They were true soul mates. He is also survived by his two children that he loved immensely. His daughter, Kimberly Cox Brown (David) of Bluefield, WV, who spent the last 12 weeks staying with him and helping with his care and treatment, and his son, James David, Knoxville, TN, who also spent the last 2 weeks helping with his care. His two grandchildren who were his greatest joy, Chelsea Brown, Raleigh, NC, and Cameron Brown, Bluefield, WV, both of whom made the trip to Oak Island to visit him as often as they could. He looked forward to their nightly phone calls so he could tell them how he was feeling, talk about sports, and catch up on their latest news.
He is also survived by three sisters, Barbara McKinney, Richfield, NC, Linda Perkins, Cocoa, FL, and Freda Trail, Glen Fork, w, all of whom he talked to daily, and his sister-in-law, Jean Hawkins (David) of Middletown, DE, that he loved as his own. He had numerous nieces and nephews that he loved dearly.
Jim loved hunting and fishing in his earlier years, but sports were by far his favorite pastime. Since his retirement, he was a self-appointed side-line practice coach watching his local Graham High School football team. He loved spending time with the many friends he made during football practices and games. He loved watching the young men develop their skills and continued to follow them after graduation. Go G-Men!
He loved talking to people, telling his many stories and jokes. He never met stranger and always tried to make people feel part of the group. He was a true people person with many wonderful friends.
James will be entombed during a private family service at Roselawn Mausoleum. The family would like to extend an invitation to all of their family and friends to join them for a celebration of life service that will be held July 20, 2024 at Roselawn Funeral Home. The family will receive friends beginning at 1:00PM with services beginning at 2:00PM.
Online condolences are encouraged and may be sent to the family here.
