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Jimmie "Jim" Emanuel
Cox

September 23, 1930 – August 4, 2018

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"We are honored to provide this Book of Memories to the family."
— Vondel Smith Mortuary

Obituary for Jimmie "Jim" Emanuel Cox

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Memorials may be made to OMRF Cancer Research at development@omrf.org.


Viewing will be 4-8 PM Tuesday, August 7th and Wednesday, August 8th at the funeral home with family present Wednesday from 4-8 PM to greet guests.


Services to celebrate his life will be held 1:30 PM Thursday, August 9, 2018 at Vondel Smith Mortuary South Lakes Chapel (4000 SW 119th)


Jimmie E. Cox a gentle giant of a grandfather passed away on Saturday, (8/4/18). Jim always said “There are three things you can be sure of in life, death, taxes, and change! He also believed that if possible, you should share your good fortune with family and friends. He was always ready to help family and friends in any way possible. Jim was born on September 23rd, 1930 in Guthrie, Oklahoma. He graduated Capitol Hill High School in 1949. He attended the University of Oklahoma until he enlisted in the Air Force in 1951. He was sent to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio where he became a draftsman. He then was sent to Parks Air Force Base in California. He married his high school sweetheart Barbara Cummings on December 22nd, 1951 at South Memorial Baptist Church while on leave before being shipped out to the Korean War. He was a staff sergeant in the United States Air Force. He was stationed at Kimpo then was stationed at Suwon, Korea where he helped design and build bases. He also spent some time in Japan. He was then sent to Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, South Carolina. It was while at Shaw AFB that his daughter Cindy was born. He was honorably discharged from the Air Force in December of 1954. Jim returned to Oklahoma City and his family and began his 30-year tenure at E.V. Cox Construction, the company his father started in 1946. He would start as a field laborer, then work as a carpenter, superintendent, and finally moved into the office as an estimator in the early 60’s. Jim bought the company from his father in 1970. He would oversee a company that would grow from a company that did around three million dollars in volume to a company that did over twenty-five million in the mid 1980’s. Jim and his brother Gerald would transform the company that did mostly bid work into a company that specialized in “Tilt-Up Construction” and built buildings all over the state of Oklahoma as well as Texas and New Mexico. He retired from E.V. Cox Construction in 1984. He tried to perfect his golf game in retirement. He started Jim Cox Company in 1985. That company would build buildings from Burns Flat to Checotah Oklahoma as well as in the late 1980’s the company would do work in Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C. His most recognizable building is Mathis Brothers Furniture. Other projects that he was very proud of was the 5 story Elderly Housing project in NW OKC, the 6 story Capital Federal Building located on NW Highway, the Library Building in Hobart, OK, the Exterior Concrete project at Summit Ridge in Chevy Chase, Maryland, as well as the Oakcrest Church of Christ, his own congregation’s building. He would retire again in December of 2001. He continued to do some construction consulting, mostly for his friend Lance Cornman of Mid America Roofing and Construction and would do some bid take offs for HGL Construction, where Eddie works. Jim was a member of the Jay-Cees. He coached Eddie in little league baseball. He would help Barbara with Cindy’s Camp Fire Group by designing and building a collapsible booth for them to sell tacos out of. He would help the Oklahoma City Amateur Hockey Association over the years as Eddie played ice hockey. He would also be one of the owners of the Oklahoma City Stars Hockey team. Jim believed in the construction industry and served as a president of the Construction Association of Oklahoma (CAO). He would also be a member of Associated General Contractors and would be a big supporter of Associated Builders and Contractors as well as a Past President. He was an avid fan of OU football. Jim loved to take all the office staff of E.V. Cox Construction and their families as well as some owners and architects to the OU/Texas weekend in Dallas. Jim and Barbara would normally take two trips each year. One was a summer fishing trip to Canada or Alaska. The other was their fall vacation trip that they would take to the far reaches of the earth, places like Russia, China, and Greece. Jim would, over the years, help organize the class of ‘49 Capitol Hill reunion activities. He would become a private pilot in 1982 and loved to fly. He and Barbara would fly to see their grandkids in St. Louis and take numerous trips to watch OU football as well as their vacations when possible. His biggest regret was selling his plane (Piper Saratoga) in 1996. Jim had both of his knees replaced in 2007 which helped his mobilization on the golf course and allowed him to continue to play golf. It didn’t help his score however! Jim did have three (3) hole in ones to his credit. He would continue to take his annual golf outing each year (called Runamuck) that was organized by his friend Aubrey Kerr. Over the years, Jim served on numerous boards such as Board of Directors for Hillcrest Hospital, a board member of Willow Creek Golf and Country Club, and on the Board of Directors for the Downtown YMCA. Also, over the years, he was involved in two different construction projects at Hillcrest Golf and Country Club. Jim was preceded in death by his parents E.V. and Jewel, his sisters Colleen and Linda and his brother Gerald, as well as his wife Barbara in 2001 and his grand daughter Emerald in 1998 and his grandson Jason Mathis, who passed in 2015 as well as his second life partner Mary Kathryn Barber. He is survived by his brother Dale and his wife Lynn, his daughter Cindy and son-in-law Dale Mathis, his son Eddie, His grandkids; Brandon, Sarah and her husband Nathan, Jim and his wife Shawna, as well as 7 great-grandkids. Jim outlived many of his friends from the construction industry. There are some that will outlive him, and they are his best friend Dow McCarty and friends like Chuck Waldrop and Jerry Boismier. His honorary pallbearers are Brandon Mathis, Sarah & Nathan Weber, Jimmy & Shawna Cox, Madison Krieg, Ty, Landon, Charlotte, Caleb, Brooklyn and Jim Theron.

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First Visitation

When Tuesday, August 7th, 2018 4:00pm - 8:00pm
Location
Vondel Smith Mortuary at South Lakes
Address
4000 SW 119th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73173
Additional Information Family will be present on Wednesday, August 8, 2018 to greet guests.

Second Visitation

When Wednesday, August 8th, 2018 4:00pm - 8:00pm
Location
Vondel Smith Mortuary at South Lakes
Address
4000 SW 119th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73173
Additional Information

Service Information

When
Thursday, August 9th, 2018 1:30pm
Location
Vondel Smith Mortuary at South Lakes
Address
4000 SW 119th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73173

Interment Information

Location
Resthaven Memory Gardens - Oklahoma City
Address
Address Not Available
Oklahoma City, OK 73139
Interment Extra Info
Private Family Burial

Affiliations


  • US Air Force
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