A Celebration of Life for Othella “Jay” Cox will be held at the First Baptist Church in Odessa, Texas on Thursday, April 15th at 10:00 a.m. Jay left this world hand in hand with his beloved Jesus on April 6th, 2021. He joins his treasured wife Ella who passed on July 11, 2018. Jay will be laid to rest in Big Spring alongside Ella.
Jay was born on August 18, 1926 in Haskell, Texas to William Seaton Cox and Della Lou Montgomery Cox. He graduated from Paint Creek high school in 1943 and immediately joined the service. He served in the Philippine Islands in World War II. He returned from the war to attend Hardin Simmons University where he lettered in basketball for four years. It was there that he met a dark-haired beauty named Ella Lenora Bostick. They were married on May 20, 1951 at the University Baptist Church in Abilene and enjoyed 67 years together.
Jay began his coaching career in Archer City, Texas and he went on to teach and coach in Weinert, Texas before joining the first faculty at Permian High School in Odessa, Texas in 1959. There he coached, led the golf team, headed the Physical Education Department and taught Distributive Education. Dad loved his MOJO Panthers and filmed the football games, along with his dear friend and fellow D.E. teacher Paul Brown for decades. He retired in 1981 and began a fifteen-year career in Real Estate.
Jay and Ella had a daughter, Jane and two sons, Steve and Kyle. Jay was a wonderful father and example and he supported his children in any and every way possible.
Jay loved people. If anyone ever exemplified the new testament teaching of; “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself”, it was Jay. He had a servant’s heart, he served for many years at Crescent Park Baptist church and then at First Baptist Church, both in Odessa. He was a Gideon and spent many hours distributing God’s word in various ways and places. He was a leader in the Travelers Protective Agency which focuses on providing scholarships and hearing aids for the deaf. He loved serving at the Permian Basin Mission Center as well. He was a mentor and friend to many and nobody who met him left feeling unloved or unimportant. He loved his God and the people around him in demonstrative ways for the entirety of his life.
Most of all and most importantly Jay was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. His joy came from his faith in God through his son Jesus Christ and was magnified in his family. He considered his extended family to be his own.
Jay is preceded in death by his precious Ella, his daughter Jane Hatch, his mother and Father William and Della, his brothers W.S. Cox II and Vaughn Cox, his sister Alice Byrd and great great granddaughter Weslyn McWilliams. He leaves behind, to cherish his memory his son Steve and wife Marcy of Mansfield, his son Kyle and wife Jana of Waco, sister Helen Coleman of Dallas, grandchildren are Xyan McWilliams and husband Alan of Bracketville, Christa Anz and husband Mike of San Antonio, Lauren Staats and husband Nelson of Hurst and Jay Cox of Waco, great grandchildren Noah, Ruthie and Nathan Staats, Jase Anz, Mason McWilliams and wife Whitney, Megan McWilliams and great great grandchildren Maddox and Morgan McWilliams along with many nieces and nephews and friends too numerous to list. Please know that he loved you all.
A special thanks from the family is offered to Charles and Mary Carlson, Bob and Sharon Reed and Richard and GiGi Rubalcoba. Your love, support and care for mom and dad will never be forgotten.
In lieu of flowers, Jay has asked that contributions be made to:
Gideons International or The Permian Basin Mission Center
Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the LORD, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. II Timothy 4:8
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