Stanley Dale Cox

Services for Stanley Dale Cox, 81, of Tyler will be held Wednesday, March 9, 2011, at 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church downtown with the Rev. Dr. Mike Massar officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in Cathedral in the Pines Cemetery under direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home.

Mr. Cox passed away March 6, 2011, in Tyler.

He was born Feb. 7, 1930, in Sentinel, Okla., to the late Floyd and Deanie Green Cox. He was a graduate of Sentinel High School and Draughon's Business College in Wichita Falls.
Mr. Cox was an Army veteran, serving during the Korean War. He was stationed at Fort Hood, where he served as military police. He married Betty Ann Riek and they were married for 58 years at the time of his death.
Mr. and Mrs. Cox moved to Tyler in 1963 to work for General Tires. Shortly after coming to Tyler, Mr. Cox earned his real estate brokers and insurance licenses. He was involved in real estate, home construction and remodeling in the East Texas area for more than 40 years, and was the owner and president of Dale Cox Construction Co. for more than 30 years.

Mr. Cox was a 48-year member of First Baptist Church in Tyler, where he served as a deacon and a member of many church committees. He was also a member of the Tyler Association of Insurance Agents and served as president in 1972. He was a member of the Homebuilders Association for many years. He greatly enjoyed volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and served as construction manager for Habitat for Humanity projects.

Mr. Cox loved playing and watching golf tournaments. He played in weekly scrambles at Oakhurst and Peach Tree golf courses and enjoyed following the Robert E. Lee golf team for the last four years of his life. He loved to plan trips and travel all over the world with his wife and close friends. He was talented at woodworking projects and playing the trumpet.

During his military service and for years after, he was called upon to play "Taps" for fallen soldiers and veterans.

Most of all, Mr. Cox loved his family and was always ready to help them with any project at their homes. He loved being part of his grandchildren's and great-grandchildren's activities and sports.

In addition to his parents, Mr. Cox was preceded in death by his brothers, Herschel Cox and Cecil Cox. He is survived by a loving family including his wife, Betty Cox of Tyler; son, Greg Cox and wife Lala of Tyler; daughter, Deanie McDonough and husband Nick of Tyler; grandchildren, Sarah Santone, Jon Santone and Brooke McDonough, all of Tyler, and Peyton McDonough of Austin; great-grandchildren, Paxton Santone and Addison Santone of Tyler; and sisters, Juanita Owens of Aurora, Ill., and Oleta Good of Shawnee, Okla. Other family members include his brother-in-law, Bob Riek and wife Marlene of Tyler; nieces and nephews, Jan Ace of Tyler, Mark and Jennifer Riek of Santa Fe, N.M., Betty Jean and Roy Hardwick of Sentinel, Okla., Stanley Cox of Enid, Okla., and many other nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Gene Caldwell, Clyde Davenport, Bill Henderson, John Boorman, Roger Nunally, Cal Clyde, William Estes, Joe Blaylock, Nick McDonough, Jonathan Santone, Neil Davis and Mark Riek.

Visitation is scheduled for Tuesday, March 8, 2011, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Highway, Tyler.

If desired, memorials in honor of Stanley Dale Cox may be made to the First Baptist Church, 301 W. Ferguson St., Tyler, 75701; or Habitat for Humanity, 822 W. Front St., Tyler, 75702.

Published in Tyler Morning Telegraph on March 8, 2011