Norene Dorothy Cox McWilliams

Norene started her life in a wagon yard, (parking lot for horses and wagons) in Cache, Oklahoma, June 21, 1921, born to Joseph W. and Eva Grace (Jones) Cox.

Here are just a few of the things that she did between 1921 and 2016. Norene attended a one room school for all eight grades in Spring Valley District near Lawton, Oklahoma. She completed her formal education in Lawton High School in 1935 with Certificates of Perfect Attendance, Neither Absent nor Tardy the certificates state. That is saying a lot when she and her brother walked a mile to school unless the snow was too deep then they rode a horse.

She was a good athlete therefore was always the first picked for a team and played 1st base at all the school games and was proficient at hitting home runs. She played piano for the church since she was 13 until she married, which was held in the school house.

Norene started her 54 year married journey on Dec 19, 1936 in Lawton, Oklahoma with Ben McWilliams, Western movie actor, boxer, rodeo performer, a cattle rancher and made their 1st married home in Chattanooga, Oklahoma, then in Wichita Falls, OK, located on border of Ft Sill Military Reservation. When the war started in 1941 the military bought the ranch to expand Ft Sill so they were without a ranch.

A change of careers, Norene’s cowboy became a builder, the family moved to Washington in 1940 and worked on Grand Coulee Dam. In 1941 worked for Richmond Shipbuilders in Richmond, California building ships and launched “Ocean Voice”,” Ocean Venture”, and “Ocean Vanguard”. In 1943 they went back to dam building for Shasta Dam out of Redding, CA. and later helped build Friant and Pine Flat Dams out of Fresno, CA.

Her 1st child, a son Ben McWilliams Jr., born on Oct 26, 1937 in Gainsfield, OK and 2nd child, a daughter Betty June McWilliams born on Aug 14, 1939 in Lawton, OK. When children got school age they started school in Elk Creek, Oregon which is under water now due to a dam. They later settled in Fresno and then Sanger, CA for 32 yrs, where both children graduated from Sanger Union High School, 1955 and 1957 respectively. Ben Jr. joined the Army for 20 years, retired in Ft Leonard Wood as a Major and Betty graduated from Reedley College with Associates Arts degree as Certified Dental Assistant.

Again Norene’s cowboy changed careers and became the best cement finisher in all San Joaquin Valley from 1948 -1960, laying foundations, walls and ceilings for hospitals, commercial retail malls, schools and homes. The fact being if a cement job got in trouble and could not pass inspection the union would call Ben to come anywhere in the state to “fix” the problem. After the terrible car accident where Ben was in hospital for two months in 1981, Ben went back to ranching and broke his last bucking bronco to saddle ride and cut cattle at age 66. Their last home together was in 1990, 360 acres in Royalton, MN

Norene was a homemaker, keeping her home “Mr. Clean” clean was a pleasure for her, in fact she enjoyed keeping homes clean so much she became the house keeper for many senators and doctors in Fresno, CA for a few years. Norene loved people and loved to cook and entertain anyone and everyone and would cook just to give it away. She loved her extended family and many of her extended friends of all ages became family to her and that pleased her greatly. Norene trusted everyone to have the same open mind and gentle, warm heart that she displayed to others. Norene always felt that the best part of one’s life is friendships and sharing her faith in Christ and America. Norene was known as “Miss Hospitality” among her friends and family. She strongly believed in things her parents and grandparents taught her, fairness, honesty, character and faith being the strongest.

She loved her country and to show her respect to family members who served in the military Norene would fly the great American flag every day in front of her many homes for her Father Joseph W. Cox in WWI, brother Merle J. Cox in WWII, son Ben McWilliams Jr. in Viet Nam, son-in-law Robert Eugene Smith, Army Marksman, grandson Kirk T. Smith in Persian Gulf, Navy and many uncles and aunts that served in both combat and non-combat duties.

Norene worked at St Agnes Hospital as unit secretary for 20 years on the maternity floor helping the families with the newborn babies, until a bad car accident required her to reside as a patient in same hospital for three months and it was mandated by her doctor to retire in 1981.

Her cowboy was still punching cattle so they had ranches in Riverdale, CA and Chowchilla, CA before they retired and moved to Cayucos, CA, and finally back to Royalton, MN. Norene moved three more times after the love of her life passed in Royalton, MN, to be closer to family, St James, MO, Carlsbad, NM and finally Greeley and Loveland, CO

Preceded in death by, her husband, Ben McWilliams, 84, in Royalton, MN; brother from Sonora, CA, Merle James and wife Helen Cox, world dam builder; parents from Fresno, CA, Joseph W and wife Eva Grace (Jones) Cox, farmers; grandparents died in Clovis, CA, Otto and wife Norma Chloe (Shepard) Jones, Missouri farmers, 17 aunts and 18 uncles on fathers side, 6 aunts and 6 uncles on mothers side and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Norene is survived by four generations of family that would often come to Loveland for short or long visits. Son Ben (wife Jean) McWilliams Jr., grandson Todd (wife Gina) McWilliams, great granddaughter Nicole (McWilliams) Jones, great grandson Seth McWilliams, great-great granddaughter, Aunesti, great-great grandson Zyair, all from Rolla, MO.

Survived by great granddaughter Lauren McWilliams (husband Travis)Thacher, great-great granddaughters Bailey and Presley from Boonville, MO.

Survived by grandson Shawn (wife Liesl) McWilliams, great grandsons Ben III, Shawn Jr., Ian and David from Indianapolis, IN.

Survived by daughter Betty McWilliams Smith Davis, widowed, from Loveland, CO

Survived by granddaughter Kimberle Lynn Smith (husband Rodney) Davis, great granddaughter Mariah Grace from Berthoud, CO

Survived by grandson Kirk Tony (wife Donna) Smith, great grandsons Kameron Smith, Sean Ramirez, great granddaughter Janah Ramirez, great-great grandsons, Chay, Zion, Ezekiel, and Jack, great-great granddaughter Zoey all from Hawaii.

Survived by great granddaughter Sabrina Ramirez of Santa Barbara, CA

A simple service for immediate family and friends was held at the home of Betty Davis after Norene’s relocation to Heaven. Graveside services will be at a future date in Clovis, California, where she will be interred with Ben McWilliams, her husband of 54 years.