Stephen "Tony" Cox Jr.

He is survived by his parents, Stephen Cox Sr. and Jayne Cox; his brother, Alex Cox (Brianna); his aunts, Karen Dillard, Sheri Dillard and Terri Ellis (Dean); and his uncle, Greg Cox (Lucie).

Tony will also be greatly missed by his maternal grandparents, Jack and Linda Vandergriff; his paternal grandmother, Donna Cox; and many cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Byron Cox Jr.

Tony was born in California and lived in Cuba, Oklahoma, North Carolina and Virginia. He graduated from Brooke Point High School in Stafford, VA, where he was a 3-year varsity baseball player. He also graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond with a bachelor’s degree, majoring in American History, and having received the university’s top academic honor for his senior thesis on Richmond city schools and the impact of segregation.

Following Tony’s undergraduate career, he resided in Richmond, VA where he would ride his bicycle throughout the city exploring the rich history and unique cuisine that Richmond offered. Tony’s love of history expanded beyond his collegiate career, where he would frequently attend new museum exhibits throughout the city.

Tony was a critical thinker and a creative. He was passionate about music, was a self-taught drummer and guitar and bass player, and an avid concert goer. Tony was also an accomplished athlete having excelled in Muay Thai. He had trained in Thailand and was a U.S. Southeast Region Muay Thai Champion in his weight class. Further, he was a left-handed baseball pitcher who threw a one-hitter, a golfer who could drive a ball 300 yards, and multi-time half-marathon finisher.

Tony was a world-traveler who saw four continents and 15 countries. In combination with his academic background and travels abroad, Tony was bilingual speaking English and Spanish. He blended his travel experiences with his talent for cooking, specializing in a range of dishes from Central American and Asian cuisine to cheesecakes. Tony was smart with a quick wit, he was a tough Risk and Monopoly opponent, and above all, he was kind, caring and sincere.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation in Tony’s name to the charity of your choice.

A visitation for Tony will be held from 2:00pm-3:00pm on Friday, July 29, 2022 at Mullins and Thompson Funeral Service, Fredericksburg Chapel. His celebration of life will begin at 3:00pm.

The family will be inviting Tony’s friends up to speak and share stories.