Fred Cox

Fred Cox, age 91, passed away Feb. 9, 2010, at Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington, Ky.
Born in Wilton, Ky. on July 27, 1918, he was the son of the late R.D. and Nancy Cox; in addition to his parents he was preceded in death by one brother K. Earl Cox and one sister Ruby Cox Collette.
Mr. Cox is survived by his wife of 70 years, Martha Shelton Cox; two daughters, Freda Simpson and husband Robert, and Brenda Greer and husband Kerry; four grandchildren, Kelly Robert Simpson and wife Amy, Sarah Simpson Pietrowski and husband Paul, Chad Thomas Greer and wife Fawn, and Megan Greer Senters and husband Brian; six great-grandchildren, Dustin Simpson, Sydney Simpson, Logan Simpson, Ivy Greer, River Greer, and Kai Senters; two step-great-grandchildren Bailey Pietrowski and Chase Pietrowski; one sister, Lucy Cox Shelton; two brothers, Bill Cox and George Cox, and a host of nieces and nephews.
Fred was a graduate of Lynn Camp High School. During his high school years, he worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps. After graduation, he began school at Union College and drove a school bus for Knox Central High School where he met his wife Martha. He then became the youngest ever elected official in the state of Kentucky after winning the position of Knox County Tax Commissioner which at the time was not a year-round job, so he began working for Greyhound Bus Lines.In 1943, he was drafted into World War II and began serving in the Army Air Corps. He remained with the military for three years, and then, after the war, returned to work for Greyhound where he remained until 1955. During this time, he and his wife opened the Dairy Delle Drive-In. In 1958, at his wife's insistence, he returned to College (Cumberland) to finish his education. He graduated in 1965 and began teaching at Gray School. One year later, he began teaching English and journalism at Lynn Camp High School where he taught for 14 years. After selling the Dairy Delle Restaurant, but while still teaching, he and his wife built West Knox Hardware. After retiring first from the hardware store and then from teaching in 1980, he built and sold houses and continued to be a vital part of the community in which he lived. He was one of the original founders of West Knox Volunteer Fire Department and was proud to say that the department's organizational meeting was held in his house. He was also the first aviation student to fly solo off Henry Field Airport in Corbin. He was an artist and a calligrapher, and hand-lettered many mailboxes which still grace the front-yards of many homes in Knox and Whitley Counties. He was a Past Master of the Cumberland Valley Masonic Lodge No. 751 in Gray and was a member of the Corbin Senior Citizens' Center. There he took great pleasure not only from the walking and wonderful lunches, but also from the friendship he was shown by all its staff and members. Fred and his wife were members of Piney Grove Baptist Church for over 50 years, and he loved singing in the choir and with his group of friends. In his latter years, after macular degeneration caused him to be unable to see the pages of the songbooks, he still sang with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren the songs he had learned by heart and loved so deeply. He will be greatly missed.
Visitation will be Friday, Feb. 12, 2010, at Vankirk-Grisell Funeral Home from noon until 2 p.m. Funeral services will begin at 2 p.m. with Rev. Golvin Chadwell officiating. Burial will follow in Cumberland Memorial Gardens with Masonic Rites. Pallbearers are Kelly Simpson, Chad Greer, Paul Pietrowski, Brian Senters, Stacy Cox and Darin Cox.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to The Corbin Senior Citizens' Center, PO Box 1087, Corbin, KY 40702. For pictures and comments: http://dairydellememories.blogspot.com/