Danny Cox, jet fighter pilot and motivational speaker, was born in 1934 to Virgil Cox and Zella (Smothers) Cox on S. Madison Street. Danny’s father, Virgil, at one time owned Madison Street Market at 601 S. Madison, which is now long gone and also worked in the coal mines. His mother, Zella, was the sister of Ralph “Speed” Smothers, owner of Speed’s Confectionary on the square in Marion for years and J. Paul Smothers, postmaster at Marion for years. The father of all three was John H. Smothers who served on the Marion Police force in the 1920’s and the mother was Edna (Tippy) Smothers. Continue reading →