William "Bill" Cox's Obituary
William "Bill" Cox
William Fay Cox died February 9, 2024, at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City. A memorial service was held, Monday, February 12th at the Kingfisher First United Methodist Church with Rev. Dr. Jennifer Long officiating.
Bill was born September 17, 1937, in Allerton, Iowa, to Ernest Fay and Ruth Elnora (Michael) Cox. Bill graduated from Seymour High School in 1955. On November 2nd, 1958, Bill Cox and Eleanor Darrah were married in the Methodist Church in Millerton, Iowa. They lived the first part of their married life and raised their children in Seymour, Iowa until Bill's employment with the Rock Island Railroad brought them to Okarche, Oklahoma in 1977. Bill retired from the Union Pacific Railroad as a signal manager after 43 years of service. Bill was so proud that he was a 3rd generation railroader with 4 family members working for the railroad. They had 177 years of combined service with the railroad. He was a member of the Kingfisher First United Methodist Church, Okarche Lions Club and enjoyed fishing and hunting.
Bill is survived by his wife, Eleanor, of the home in Okarche; daughters, Cheryl Dawn (Rusty) Kirkland of Centerville, IA and Darlene (Rick) Osterholt of Okarche, Oklahoma; brother, Thomas (Linda) Cox of Unionville, MO; sisters, Margaret Brandenberg of Delmar, IA and Kathryn (Gary) Lord of Tucson, AZ; 3 grandchildren, Stephen Osterholt, Shelley (Steven) Kaster, and Derek (April) Kirkland; and 7 great-grandchildren, Riley, Shelbey, Paislee ,and Avery Osterholt, Aiden and Rylan Kaster, and Kacer Kirkland. In laws, Dean and Reva Lain and Richard and Sue Darrah; and a number of nieces and nephews.
His parents and siblings, Gene Cox, Jim Cox, and Ruth Clark, preceded him in death.
Services in Oklahoma for Bill were held and arranged by Huber-Benson Funeral Home in El Reno, Oklahoma. Funeral services in Iowa will be held at 10:30AM, Saturday, February 17, 2024 at the Seymour United Methodist Church in Seymour, Iowa with Pastor Sarah Rohret officiating. Burial will follow in the Livingston Cemetery near Cincinnati, IA. under the direction of Thomas Funeral Home in Centerville, IA. Visitation will take place Saturday, February 17, 2024 at the Seymour United Methodist Church from 9:00AM-10:30AM. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the Kingfisher United Methodist Church Youth Camp Scholarship, or to a charity of your choice, and may be mailed to Thomas Funeral Home, ATTN: Bill Cox family, 501 North 18th Street, Centerville, Iowa 52544. Condolences may be shared online at https://www.thomasfh.com or https://www.facebook.com/thomasfuneralhome.
What’s your fondest memory of William "Bill"?
What’s a lesson you learned from William "Bill"?
Share a story where William "Bill"'s kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with William "Bill" you’ll never forget.
How did William "Bill" make you smile?