Bernie Ferrol Cox

Bernie Ferrol Cox, age 78, of Mansfield, passed away from a long illness on Monday, August 24, 2020, surrounded by his family who loved him dearly. He was born February 2, 1942, in Mansfield, Ohio, to the late Leonard and Pearl (Kinster) Cox Sr.

He was formerly employed at Mansfield Tire and Rubber Co., was a manufacturer's sales representative for Eagle Crusher, and sales representative for Motorola. He retired as the owner and manager of a NASCAR Craftsman Truck and Busch series teams.

Bernie loved to tell stories and you could be certain 50% of every story was true. He was witty, funny, and had a great sense of humor. Bernie had a lead foot and used his many comebacks to weasel his way out of several speeding tickets. He set the fastest non-professional speed of 181.4 mph at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1994. He could be stubborn and was a "do it my way" kind of man. He often referred to the quote "All knowledge is not learned in books" to explain why his way was best. Bernie was a kind man who always helped out anyone in need. He was very private and had a deep love of nature.

He is survived by his loving wife, Cheryl Gutzeit Cox; son, Brian Cox; daughters, Kelley (Zoli) Kovacs and Shelley (Gillian Wells) Cox. He was a proud Papa to Lauren (Szymon) Zebrowski, Katy Willette, Morgan Wells-Cox; and proud "GP" to great-grandson, Carter Willette. He is also survived by his brothers, Bill (Dee) Cox and Roger (Janet) Cox; sister, Wanda Winters; numerous nieces and nephews; and his faithful canine companion, Jezebel. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Marcia Cox in 1992; brothers, Leonard Cox Jr. and Ronnie Cox; and mothers-in-law, Mary Yost and Elizabeth Depue.

To Southern Care Hospice staff: There are no words to express our gratitude for the loving care and guidance given in our time of need. Thank you for your unselfish love.

There will be no visitation or service at this time. The Ontario Home of Wappner Funeral Directors is privileged to serve the family. Memorial contributions may be made in Bernie's memory to Southern Care Hospice, 41 Briggs Drive, Ontario, OH 44906.