In Memory

Kenneth Otto Cox



 
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01/21/11 02:56 PM #1    

Martha Lynn Sparrow (Ferrell)

Ken Cox was an original.  A talented musician and craftsman, Ken was also my next door neighbor on Nut Bush Rd in Hamilton Lakes when my family moved there when I was in the second grade.  Ken was larger than life and a force for good.

Martha Sparrow Ferre..


09/05/11 09:14 PM #2    

Cyndy Hanner (Davis)

 Ken Cox was born in Greensboro, June 13, 1953, and spent most of his life in his hometown.  He grew up in Starmount, fished in Lake Euphemia near the family home, and learned to drive in “the chutes” of Tower, Montrose, Westbourne and Graham Roads that surrounded Hamilton Lake.  He loved to thrill his children while taking a different route through all the twists and turns of the old neighborhood each time they went by his parents’ home.

 

An accomplished musician, Ken played the slide trombone in the Grimsley school band under Herbert Hazelman, and later in the jazz ensemble at UNC-G.  He and several friends also toured with their band, Electric Lather, performing many exciting gigs during high school.

 

During his teen years, Ken began a leather production business.  He started out in his bedroom, making unique hand crafted leather belts that were sold through boutiques.  He had a thriving business, and though they didn’t meet at the time, Ken sold some of his braided leather belts to the same boutique in Charlotte where his future wife worked while in high school.  Savoy Leather Company, begun as a simple project to make one belt, grew to be a major supplier of leather caps and cowboy style hats, in addition to the waist belt, purse, and wallet lines for the fashion industry, with a separate industrial production of specialty chromed leather belting, run on textile machinery.

 

He was quite proud of his participation in the Boy Scouts of America program, and earned Eagle Scout status.  Ken travelled to camp at Filmore, and enjoyed sharing his collection of patches, and adventure stories.

 

After his first marriage ended, Ken made several important life changes, including leaving behind the leather business.  He began working in the construction industry, spending some time building custom decks and outdoor living areas as a project manager in South Carolina.  A true entrepreneur, Ken soon decided he wanted to build beautiful things without having to answer to someone else’s priorities, and founded Cox Millwork and Construction, which was to be his life’s work.

 

As a contractor, Ken provided the upfit and remodeling for the beautiful law offices of Smith, Helms… in downtown Greensboro, and many other Triad area projects – the final one: transformation of a former closet space into a handicapped accessible bathroom for a family near Friendly Center.  When Ken became ill early in 2009, his daughter took over, and saw that remodel through to completion for the home owners.

 

Ken undertook the remodeling of his childhood home, expanding a small bed and bath to a lovely master suite, adding a garage and bonus room.  He gutted and redesigned the kitchen, added a private patio, opened up an attic space to include living and entertaining space, replaced the mechanical systems and totally repainted inside and out.  This was one of his proudest accomplishments; the renovation was included in the tour of remodels several years ago, and earned rave reviews for Cox Millwork and Construction when featured in the March 2007 Greensboro News and Record, “Hamilton Lakes Jewel Gets Makeover”.

 

Ken died in the early morning hours of April 10, 2009, surrounded by his family.  His first grandson was born less than two months later; his daughter died suddenly, less than five months after her beloved Daddy passed on.

 

His sisters live in Concord, NC and Gainesville, FL; Ken’s sons still live in the Triad, and are helping to raise his grandson.  The family would encourage everyone to have regular dermatologic examinations; Ken succumbed to melanoma which could have been treated if discovered earlier.

                                                                                                         Dottie Cox


09/18/11 08:43 PM #3    

Roger Charles

 I grew up with Kennith in Starmount. I later ran into him in his childhood home he was remodeling. He was always a hard working, powerful man with the heart of a child. 


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