Jackie Lee "Jack" Cox (88) of Edwardsville

Jackie (Jack) Lee Cox, 88 of Edwardsville, Illinois, was born on December 2, 1935, in Mattoon, Illinois, and passed away at home surrounded by family after a short illness on Monday, January 8, 2024.

In Jack’s final days, he was surrounded by family and friends who loved him very much. He was surrounded by people who told him daily how much he was loved. It was said that he was finally being given all the love he deserved in his life after he had given so much to so many others, expecting nothing in return. It was a family joke at the end that Jack was “living his best life”.

Jack was employed by Granite City Steel for several years and went on to sales and insurance jobs. At an age when most of us are planning our retirement, Jack found his true calling and became an advocate for our Veterans and assisted them in obtaining the benefits they were rightfully entitled to. As a Veteran himself, this brought him so much joy to provide such a valuable service to these Veterans but did bring him some grief in his final days when he talked about not being able to finish all his cases to the end. He loved his clients as if they were family. Jack was a member of the Rock Church of St. Louis for over 25 years. He was also a founding member of the Jail House Rock Ministries. In addition to attending church and providing support for these churches, he contributed financial support to 26 churches in Kenya and funds to build high schools for teenage girls, who would not otherwise been able to have an education past elementary or middle school age. Jack purchased motorcycles for pastors in Kenya so that they could continue to provide the support and education for these schools. Jack also served many people as a Minister at his own church during his lifetime. Jack was a giver his whole life and nothing brought him more joy.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents William and Anna (Byrnes) Cox. He was also preceded in death by his son, Mark D. Cox; his grandson, James Allen Barr, Jr.; his four brothers, William Cox, Ralph Eugene Cox (Gene), Winford Herman Cox (Peazel) and Kenneth Cox; and his three sisters, Naomi Cox Ballinger, Lillie Mae Cox Wiseman and (Flora) Pauline Cox Browning.

He is survived by his son, Jackie Lee Cox, II (Teresa) and his daughters, Shelly Lynn Cox Beers, Sherry Garcia (Rafael) and Stephanie Rule. He was also survived by twelve grandchildren, Mark D. Cox, Kevin Cox, Eric Cox, Jamie Cox, Marshall Cox, Erica Cox Tourville, Lorne Cox, Collin Cox, Lacey Barr Rombach, Kelsey Barr Spencer, Heather Williams and Chad Webb; and eleven great grandchildren, Cassandra Cox, Evelyn Cox, Talon Cox, Khloe Tourville, Elliot Tourville, Jackie D. Cox, Abram Rombach, Ezra Rombach, Lyla Rombach, Alexa Ulrich and Hannah Ulrich. Jack is also survived by his twin brother, Jerry Cox and his brother Jim Cox and so many nieces and nephews. Jack is also survived by his dear friend and mother of his children, Rosita Tindall.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to the organization of your choice or to the family.

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 PM (Noon) – Friday, January 12, 2024, at the Meyer Funeral Home in Newton, Illinois, with Dr. Timothy Cowan, officiating. Interment will be in the Myer Cemetery north of Gila, Illinois. Visitation will be held 1 hour before the service. In loving memory of Jack, memorials may be made to the donor’s choice. The obituary can be viewed, and condolences left by clicking here.