Obituary for James "Jim" E. Cox
James “Jim” E. Cox, 90, of Amarillo, passed away on Monday, February 1, 2021.
Services will be 2:00 P.M. Friday, February 5, 2021 at Brooks Chapel in Canyon. Burial will follow at Llano Cemetery in Amarillo. The family will receive friends from 4:oo to 6:00 P.M. on Thursday, February 4 at Brooks Chapel.
James “Jim” E. Cox was born on February 9, 1930 to Thomas and Alma Moss Cox at a farmhouse in a small ‘Gin’ town called Eli, Texas near Memphis. He was the youngest of 12 children, and the family moved to Muleshoe in 1934.
Jim married Gwendolyn Smith on April 27, 1962 in Amarillo. She preceded him in death on September 19, 2020. They had been married for 57 wonderful years. Jim worked for a time as a lineman and supervisor for Southwestern Public Service, and then worked out of Local 769 in Phoenix until his retirement. He was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Jim played and sang Western music all his life. He had the honor of playing with many great Western musicians including: Bob Wills and Tommy Duncan, Jim Reeves, Bob Boatwright, Eddie Arnold, George Morgan, Lefty Frizzell, and Jimmy Dean. He also spent 10 years playing and singing with the ‘House’ band at the Clover Club in Amarillo.
He and Gwen were highly involved in the Western Swing Music Society for numerous years. Jim was inducted into the Western Swing Hall of Fame in 2005 and into the Western Swing Music Society of the Southwest Hall of Fame in Seattle, WA in 2007.
He attended Canyon First Assembly of God Church. Jim genuinely enjoyed life and had a passion for making people laugh. He will always be lovingly remembered for his quick wit and wonderful sense of humor.
He was also preceded in death by his parents, ten brothers and sisters, and three sons, Gary Wayne Cox, James Darrell Cox, and Tommy Arnold Cox.
Survivors include his three daughters, Deborah McWilliams and husband, Dean, of Phoenix, AZ, Gloria Pirtle and husband, Richard, and Diana Higgins and husband, Ken, all of Canyon; brother, TM Cox, of Rockport; nine grandchildren; fifteen great grandchildren; and three great, great grandchildren.
The family suggests memorials be made to the Amarillo SPCA, 11901 S. Coulter, Amarillo, TX 79119, Boys Town, 14100 Crawford St., Boys Town, NE 68110, or to the Salvation Army of Amarillo, 400 S. Harrison St., Amarillo, TX 79101.
Services will be 2:00 P.M. Friday, February 5, 2021 at Brooks Chapel in Canyon. Burial will follow at Llano Cemetery in Amarillo. The family will receive friends from 4:oo to 6:00 P.M. on Thursday, February 4 at Brooks Chapel.
James “Jim” E. Cox was born on February 9, 1930 to Thomas and Alma Moss Cox at a farmhouse in a small ‘Gin’ town called Eli, Texas near Memphis. He was the youngest of 12 children, and the family moved to Muleshoe in 1934.
Jim married Gwendolyn Smith on April 27, 1962 in Amarillo. She preceded him in death on September 19, 2020. They had been married for 57 wonderful years. Jim worked for a time as a lineman and supervisor for Southwestern Public Service, and then worked out of Local 769 in Phoenix until his retirement. He was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Jim played and sang Western music all his life. He had the honor of playing with many great Western musicians including: Bob Wills and Tommy Duncan, Jim Reeves, Bob Boatwright, Eddie Arnold, George Morgan, Lefty Frizzell, and Jimmy Dean. He also spent 10 years playing and singing with the ‘House’ band at the Clover Club in Amarillo.
He and Gwen were highly involved in the Western Swing Music Society for numerous years. Jim was inducted into the Western Swing Hall of Fame in 2005 and into the Western Swing Music Society of the Southwest Hall of Fame in Seattle, WA in 2007.
He attended Canyon First Assembly of God Church. Jim genuinely enjoyed life and had a passion for making people laugh. He will always be lovingly remembered for his quick wit and wonderful sense of humor.
He was also preceded in death by his parents, ten brothers and sisters, and three sons, Gary Wayne Cox, James Darrell Cox, and Tommy Arnold Cox.
Survivors include his three daughters, Deborah McWilliams and husband, Dean, of Phoenix, AZ, Gloria Pirtle and husband, Richard, and Diana Higgins and husband, Ken, all of Canyon; brother, TM Cox, of Rockport; nine grandchildren; fifteen great grandchildren; and three great, great grandchildren.
The family suggests memorials be made to the Amarillo SPCA, 11901 S. Coulter, Amarillo, TX 79119, Boys Town, 14100 Crawford St., Boys Town, NE 68110, or to the Salvation Army of Amarillo, 400 S. Harrison St., Amarillo, TX 79101.