My Grandpa....

I feel so blessed to have had such an amazing grandfather. I had the opportunity to know him for almost 23 years... Some people don't even have the chance to meet some of their grandparents. He passed away on April 17th and the funeral was held on April 21. He was such an amazing person and had some great values that he abided by every day of his life. There is so much that I have learned from him and I hope that I can be a better person by following his examples.

Leonard D. Cox: May 2, 1920 — April 17, 2010

Leonard D. “Dee” Cox passed away peacefully in his home, surrounded by his loving family on April 17, two weeks shy of his 90th birthday.

Dee was born May 2, 1920 in Woodruff, Utah, the son of Leonard Henry and Maud Dean Cox. He attended school until the 8th grade when he had to quit school in order to help support his mother, brothers and sisters due to the death of his father. He worked at various ranches around Woodruff and Randolph as well as working the family ranch with his brothers and sisters.

When World War II broke out, Dee enlisted in the US Army Air Corp where he served in England, Belgium and Germany. He was honorably discharged and upon his return home, met and married the sweetheart of his life, Betty Joyce Keyes. They were married on January 1, 1948. Their marriage was solemnized and their family was sealed to them in the Salt Lake City Temple on October 3, 1958. Five children were born to this union, Dee Wayne, Debra, Douglas, Barbara and Brenda.

He was a very hard worker with a strong work ethic that continued throughout his life. He was employed at the Union Pacific car shops as a blacksmith, owned and operated a mink ranch and a trailer court. With his busy life, he always made time to help widows by mowing their lawns and shoveling their sidewalks. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping and was an accomplished bowler. He had a great sense of humor, loved singing to the delight of his family and also wrote and memorized poetry.

He was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as a home teacher, Ward Clerk, 1st Counselor and an Ogden Temple Ordinance worker. He served an 18-month working mission in Western Samoa and an 18-month temple mission in Sydney, Australia, both with his wonderful wife. He was a quiet, unassuming, thoughtful man who directed his devotion to the care of his family. He will be deeply missed by his surviving family including his wife Betty and two sons, Dee Wayne (Paula) and Douglas (Jana), of Evanston; three daughters, Debra Perrigo (Lee) of Laurel, Mont., Barbara Goick and Brenda Morrow (Don) of Evanston. He is survived by eight grandsons, 15 granddaughters, eight great-grandsons, and nine great-granddaughters. He is also survived by his brothers, Shirley Cox of Evanston, Lionel “Bob” Cox (Betty Lou) of South Jordan, Utah and Ivy Peart (Roger) of Randolph, Utah.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Melvin “Med,” Wilford “Chris;” three sisters, Doris Nebeker, Ellen Cox (who died in infancy) and Delora “Tates” Frey; two granddaughters, Jennifer and Brittany Morrow; one grandson, Zachary Goick; one son-in-law, Mike Goick; one brother-in-law Earl (Doris) Nebeker; and two sisters-in-law Luella (Shirl) Cox and Vera (Bob) Cox.

The following is a video that my cousins took of him just a couple weeks before he passed away... He loved to sing songs and recite poetry. I am so glad that I have this precious memory of him. This is him singing a song entitled "Springtime in Wyoming" written by one of his family members.

I LOVE YOU GRANDPA AND I AM HAPPY THAT YOU ARE AT PEACE IN HEAVEN.... I KNOW THAT YOU CAN SEE AND HEAR AND TASTE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU PROBABLY HAVE MISSED OUT ON IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. IT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME THAT I HAD SUCH A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU AND FOR ALL OF THE LOVE AND SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN ME AND MY FAMILY. I WILL ALWAYS TREASURE THE TIME THAT I GOT TO SPEND WITH YOU AND YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN MY THOUGHTS.
I LOVE YOU.
-REST IN PEACE-