Robert Louis Cox

A Life Well-Lived Robert Louis Cox was born the youngest of four children to Sherman and Grace Cox on July 11, 1949 in Niagara Falls, New York. Although he was raised in Buffalo, he often joked with friends and family about being Canadian given that Niagara Falls extends into Canada. Robert loved music and learned to play the snare drum by note. However, he had a passion for cars, an interest him and his father shared whenever they worked on the family car. One of his fondest memories and favorite things to do was drive with his family and friends to Toronto for Chinese food. Robert enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was given the rating of FTG2 - Fire Control Technician (Gunfire Control) Striker Second Class after completing courses at Naval School. His commanding officers described him as reliable, knowledgeable, and a natural leader with the patience to teach others. As a Petty Officer aboard the U.S.S. DeHaven, he was an active member of the minority affairs program, who contributed significantly to the morale within his division which had a positive impact on ship-wide race relations during a time when resistance to diversity was common and the lack of advancement for blacks was prevalent. He was regularly called upon to give drug education lectures and it was noted that he always had a spare minute to help a fellow shipmate solve a problem whether personal or professional. His penchant for ministry was evident even then. He worked his way up the ranks to become a Staff Sargent, Civil Air Patrol (flight leader of air police). He completed two tours in the Navy and was awarded a National Defense Service Medal and a Vietnam Service Medal with a bronze star. Robert made the transition into civilian life working as an engineer for major corporations such as Raytheon and Xerox, where he advanced into management - long before corporate diversity and inclusion was adopted by organizations. Continuing the leadership skills he cultivated in the Navy, Robert was tasked with mediating between minority employees and upper management who had grievances and concerns about workplace equity that often included the lack of advancement. While working for Hughes Aircraft as a Radar Technician, he answered the call to ministry in 1985 under the leadership of prelate Bishop Vinton R. Anderson (deceased) in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In preparation he completed five years of ecumenical courses in the A.M.E. Church, Old Testament Theory at Riverside Baptist College, and Church History at the University of La Verne extension campus in Los Angeles. He pastored churches in the Southern California Conference (Blythe, Compton, San Bernardino, Oxnard), the Missouri Conference (Kansas City, St. Louis), and the California Conference (Marysville). In his 30 years of pastoring, his messages would always circle back to God's love for us, and our love for each other. He retired in 2017 with mixed emotions; although he looked forward to spending more time with family, his fervor for ministry remained. Rev. Cox was loved by many and leaves to cherish his wife and partner of 40 years Denise, who was an integral part of his life and ministry. He always said, apart from his ministry, she was the best thing that happened to him. Spending time with family was one of Robert's joys whether he was attending a family reunion, or just watching a football or basketball game. He loved to travel and was known to pack up the car (or camper) for a cross-country trip with the family. He had the opportunity to visit Korea, Japan, Australia and Europe, but a trip to Jerusalem fulfilled a long-time dream and impacted his life tremendously. He leaves to cherish his precious memories wife, Denise Cox (Virginia); daughters, Tonya Cox (Japan) and Ramona Lindsey (Los Angeles); two grandchildren, Paul W. Lanier IV and Imani Moats (Los Angeles); two great-grandchildren, Kingston and Kairo Samson (Los Angeles); his brother, Sherman Cox, Sr. (La Mirada), and sister, Marian Mostiller (Houston) and a host of beloved family members and friends. On Sunday, October 28, 2018 God saw in his infinite wisdom to call Robert from labor to rest. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (II Timothy 4:7). "Well done, my good and faithful servant." Matthew 25:21