Cora Lee (Rice) Cox

Cora Lee (Rice) Cox, age 102, passed away on February 1, 2022. She was born on July 27, 1919 in Decatur, TX to Benjamin Rice and Annie (Skaggs) Rice. Cora had to be tough and strong from early in life. When Cora was six years old her mother died of complications from childbirth and her father became blind when she was about 16. Cora's father married Melvy (Boone) who helped raise Cora and her six siblings in Wildarado, TX. Cora graduated from Wildarado High School in 1937 and attended two years of college at West Texas State Teachers College. On January 12, 1941 Cora married Lewis Cox in Enochs, TX. They were married 35 years before Lewis' death in 1976. Cora had an infectious personality which was apparent by how quickly she made friends that remained for life. This was evident by the number of people who came to her 100th birthday in 2019. Lewis and Cora raised their family on a farm in Carlton, TX. When Lewis' health started to decline, Cora began to work in nursing homes and studied to become an LVN at the nursing school in Dublin. Later Cora and Lewis moved to Stephenville where Cora continued to work as an LVN. Cora was a lifetime caregiver that was evident by the care she gave her father and husband until their deaths. After she retired from the hospital, she worked as a home caregiver in Stephenville. Cora loved children and they loved her. She was adopted as a substitute granny by the Gokul family. Cora was an active member in the Baptist Church every where she lived.

Cora is survived by her sons, Darwin Cox (Karen) of Buda, TX and Phillip Cox of Austin, TX. grandchildren, Jamey Crossland (Carolyn), Angie Conine (Johnny), Stephen Alford (Shonna), Natalia Wulfe (Brian), Ana-Leigh Cox, six great-grandchildren, sister, Nola Whalen, sister-in-law Alice Rice and many nieces and nephews.

Cora is predeceased by her parents, husband, an infant daughter, infant son, daughters Novis Cox, Patricia Alford, sister Josabel Davidson, brothers Howard Rice, E. C. Rice, Doyle Rice, Ralph Rice, step-brothers John Boone and Daniel Boone.

Memorial service for Cora will be held at 10:30 AM Monday, February 7th at the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Comanche.

Funeral service for Cora will be held at 2:00 PM Tuesday, February 8th at Stephenville Funeral Home Chapel in Stephenville.  Burial will follow at Erath Gardens of Memory.  Visitation will begin at 1:00 (one hour prior to service) at Stephenville Funeral Home.

The Cox family wishes expressions of sympathy be made in the form of donations to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Samaritan’s Purse, Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, or PKD Foundation.