Eugene L. “Gene” Cox was born and raised in Marion, the son of Harry L. and Mabel Cox. The family home at his birth on March 26, 1919, was at 108 W. Goodall Street. Gene’s father, Harry, was a partner in the Cox Hardware family business on the Public Square with his father, Thomas A. Cox, who founded the business.
When the 1920 census was taken the family was still living at the W. Goodall address and Gene was only 9 months old. According to city directories, the family was still in place in 1922 but by 1927 had purchased a home at 306 E. College Street.
The family was found at this location for the next 20 years through the 1930 and 1940 censuses, the latter being when Gene was the age of 21.
Gene attended the University of Illinois and was a member of Delta Phi Fraternity.
Upon graduation from college in 1944, Gene became the third generation of Cox’s by joining his father, Harry L. Cox, in the family business.
In 1946-47, Gene served as Treasurer for the Marion Lion’s Club.
Following his father’s death in July, 1947, he managed the business himself. His mother, Mrs. Harry L. (Mabel) Cox retained ownership of the building and Gene owned the inventory and managed the business with the assistance of his wife Shirley.
Gene married Shirley Melvin, daughter of Virginia and Harry Melvin and granddaughter of Harry and Maude Bracy. In January of 1949, Gene and Shirley bought a historic old house at 402 S. Market Street and made it their home
Gene was a charter member of the Marion Jaycees in 1954 and was chairman of the committee working to annex outlying areas into the city.
In 1962, Gene took on the Presidency of the local United Fund and actively served the position for at least a couple of years.
After the disastrous fire of May 1963 that totaled the whole city block on the square, including Cox Hardware and Furniture, Mabel Cox purchased a larger chunk of the block and ended up with three quarters of it, giving them the largest frontage on the square, ever. They entirely rebuilt the whole store, bigger and better than ever, serving as a modern showcase for Marion featuring modern furniture and appliances.
Mr. Cox was a very active leader in his community and was voted “Man of the Year” by the Marion Chamber of Commerce in 1963. The award was presented by Bill Bainbridge at the annual Chamber of Commerce dinner at the Travel Lodge Motor Hotel on W. DeYoung.
He served as President of several organizations including the Chamber of Commerce and Lion’s Club. During the time Cox was President of the Chamber of Commerce he helped work for bringing the federal maximum security prison into the area.
In 1964, Gene was elected Chairman of the Williamson County Zoning Commission. He was also active through this period with the Marion Retail Merchants Association, serving on various positions and committee’s actively representing downtown Marion, including as a member of the Downtown Improvement Committee.
He was an active Mason and longtime member of the Marion Elk’s Club. Cox also served on the Operating Capital Committee for the 1964 Williamson County Quasqui-Centennial celebration.
In 1969, Gene and his wife, Shirley, both ran for a board position on the Marion Park District. Shirley indicated an interest in the city swimming pool, while Gene’s interest was in youth baseball. Neither was elected.
Gene’s mother, Mabel, who was living at 108 S. Buchanan Street, passed away on November 20, 1977 at Fountain Nursing Home.
Upon the store closing and his retirement in 1982, Cox moved to Covington, La., a bedroom community of New Orleans near one of his married daughters. After hurricane Katrina in 2005, Mr. Cox relocated to Huntsville, Ala., to live in a life care retirement community near another daughter.
Gene Cox passed away in Hunstville, Alabama, on Tuesday, July 14, 2009 at the age of 90.
Mr. Cox was survived by his daughter Sally Cox Spencer and husband, Guy J. Spencer Jr. of Huntsville, Ala.; daughter Nancy Cox de Montluzin and husband, Roch Eugene Edgar de Montluzin III, of New Orleans; son, Stephen Eugene Cox and wife, Jeanette Cooper Cox, of Nashville, Tn.; daughter, Hailey Cox Eddy and husband, John Eddy, of Las Vegas; daughter Brandon Cox Fertig, of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; daughter, Leslie Cox Travelstead and husband, David Travelstead, of Indianapolis; seven grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
Graveside services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday the 18that Rose Hill Cemetery in Marion, with the Rev. Victor Long officiating. Mitchell-Hughes Funeral Home assisted the arrangements….obit
(Extracted from the Marion Daily Republican, July 2009, 1960-1974; Federal Census Records; Marion City Directories; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 12/26/2013)