Kenneth Nyman Cox (96) of Effingham

Kenneth Nyman Cox, 96, of Effingham, IL, passed away on Friday, October 13, 2023 at his home.

Memorial services with military rites will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 20, 2023 at Johnson Funeral Home in Effingham.  Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Friday prior to the service at the funeral home.  Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery in Arlington Heights, IL at a later date.

In lieu of flowers and gifts, memorials may be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children.  Online condolences may be shared by clicking here.

Kenneth was born on May 9, 1927, in Evanston, IL, the son of Samuel and Olga (Nyman) Cox.  He was raised in Northbrook, IL, and even built his own house there.  He married Elaine Buzan on September 3, 1949.  He served in the United States Navy in World War II and was honorably discharged with the rank of Seaman First Class USN1.  He worked for Bell and Gossett for 38 years in various positions.  In 1989, Ken and Elaine moved to Lake Sara and then moved into town in 2006.  She preceded him in death onJanuary 3, 2007.  They had celebrated 58 years of marriage.

Ken was kind and always a gentleman who found importance in taking care of his family.  He enjoyed staying busy and prioritized taking care of himself.  His whole life, exercise was part of his daily routine. He enjoyed bowling, dancing, working with his hands, and woodworking.  He was a master mason.  Ken loved doing puzzles with his best friend, Dolores.

Ken is survived by his daughter, Sandra (Brian) Fairbairn; grandchildren, Valerie (Michael) Schmitz and Leslie (Shaun) Thompson; great-grandchildren, Adley Thompson, and Sophia and Julia Schmitz; sister, Elinore Preis; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Elaine; son, Thomas Cox; sisters, Arleen (LLoyd) White and Lorraine (Anthony) Costanzo; and brother-in-law, Edward Preis.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Dolores Douthit and family for their ongoing loveand support.  Dolores was very special to Ken.  They would also like to thank the people at Sarah Bush Lincoln of Mattoon Home Health Care and Hospice for their outstanding, loving care for Ken.  They would like to send a special thank you to Jamie for her guidance through this difficult time.