Nell Manuel Cox

COLUMBIA – Nell Manuel Cox, 98, mother, grandmother and long-time Columbia resident, died peacefully in her sleep at the All Seasons Hospice just before midnight on Thursday, September 22, 2016. She was born March 11, 1918 in Allendale County near Sycamore to the late Mary Main Manuel and Fred Wilson Manuel, their 7th child. She was preceded in death by her 10 brothers and sisters, as well as her in-laws. After high school, she move to Columbia and graduated from Draughon's Business College in the late 1940s. She then worked at the IRS in Columbia, where she met John William Cox, Jr., a Bronze Star veteran of World War II. They married in 1950 and built a new home in the Forest Acres area, where they raised three children together until John’s untimely death in 1960. Nell never re-married, but continued to live independently at home through her mid-90s before moving to assisted living. Over the years she developed an interest in Manuel family genealogy, volunteered at Columbia’s Baptist Hospital, and remained active with her Bible study group at Columbia’s First Baptist Church. Her survivors include three married children, Dr. John William Cox III of Vienna, VA, Dr. Fred Manuel Cox of Ashland, VA, and Ms. Gayle Cox Sneed of Irmo, SC, as well as three adult grandsons and three granddaughters. Nell is also survived by several nieces and nephews; she held special affection for nephew Jack Thomas and his wife Molly, who were always thoughtful and especially kind during her later years. The funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 28, 2016 at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, with interment at Greenlawn Memorial Park. Her final resting place will be adjacent to that of her husband, Reverend Richard Humphries of Columbia’s First Baptist Church, will conduct the service. The visitation will be held from 1 to 2:00 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home. The pall bearers will be her sons, John William Cox, III and Fred Manuel Cox, her son-in-law, Jim Sneed, her nephew, Jack Thomas, and her grandsons, Christopher Sneed and Rush Cox. Memorials to Columbia’s First Baptist Church or the All Seasons Hospice are welcome. Online condolences may be given at the Dunbar Funeral Home website at www.dunbarfunerals.com.