James Leonard Cox

He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Wilmore

Pearson Cox (Elizabeth Lewis). A lifetime resident of Birmingham, he passed away at

the age of 94. Jim attended Mountain Brook schools, where he was Valedictorian of his

graduating class in 1940.

Jim was a member of Troop 53 - Boy Scouts of America. He graduated from

Phillip’s High School in 1944. He then attended the University of Alabama where he

was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity and graduated in 1948 with a Bachelor of

Arts degree.

Jim worked as a partner in a construction company installing water and natural

gas systems for towns and cities for eight years. He then participated in financing

public improvements such as hospitals, utilities, courthouses etc… through bond

issues for 37 years.

Jim was a member of several organizations and clubs including: The Downtown

Exchange Club, The Club, Security Dealers, The Beaux Arts Krewe, Sons of the

American Revolution, and Mountain Brook Club, where he played in a golf group

known as “The Grass Cutters”. He remained an avid golfer at Mountain Brook Club

until the age of 89. Jim also volunteered for: The Birmingham Zoo, taking exhibits to

local schools; Gate City Schools, helping with reading for 3rd graders, and at St.

Martin’s in the Pines, conducting a Bible Study program for Assisted Living. He was a

Senior Warden and Treasurer of St. Mary’s-On-The-Highlands, a Lay Reader at St.

Stephen’s Episcopal Church, and a member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

Jim is preceded in death by his parents, and by his brothers, Wilmore Pearson

Cox Jr., Joseph Thomas Cox, and Richard Lewis Cox. He is survived by his wife, Ann

Chapman Cox, his daughter, Bettie Gray Cox, and his sister, Mary Elizabeth Cox

Waitzman. He is also survived by his four stepdaughters, Kimberly Bean (Nelson),

Meagher Whigham (Wagon), Lucie Haynes (Brad), and Helen Hyde (Cabot), as well as

many step-grandchildren. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

A service will be held at 10:00 am on Wednesday, August 11 at St Luke’s

Episcopal Church, with a visitation immediately following the ceremony.