Lila Cox

COX, LILA SMITH Lila Smith Cox, 73, passed away February 15, 2003 at a Houston hospital. A celebration of her life will be at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, February 18 at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey, 6101 Bosque Boulevard, with Pastor Bruce Carpenter officiating. A graveside service will follow at 2:30 p.m. at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Nolanville, Texas. Visitation with the family will be from 6-8pm Monday, February 17, 2003 at the funeral home. Lila Merle Smith Cox was born September 18, 1929 in Hill County near Birome, the seventh and youngest child of Luther DeWitt and Mamie Ross Howell Smith. She was educated in Birome and Abbott schools, graduating from Abbott High School in 1947. Lila then attended nursing school at Providence Hospital in Waco, Texas. It was during this time that she met Army Air Corps staff sergeant Wallace Cox. They were married April 3, 1952. Their first home was in Tucson, Arizona where he was stationed with the air force. They moved to Dallas, Texas where their first child, Becky, was born at Florence Nightingale Hospital and where Lila worked. They then moved to Waco where their second child, Marian, was born. While her children were small, Lila worked as a surgical nurse at Providence Hospital. Later, she helped her husband with his businesses, AAMCO and Tow King, by keeping the books. Friends and family meant everything to her. She loved being around people and people loved being around her. She was vivacious, with a warm sense of humor. Animals were important to her and her pets were loved and well-cared for. She was preceded in death by her parents, all three of her brothers and one sister. She is survived by her devoted husband of fifty years, who cared for her tenderly through her various illnesses; daughters, Becky Shulda and husband Larry, and Marian Naik; grandchildren, Sam Naik, Damon Shulda and wife Kristi, and Danna Shulda; and sister, Addie Dee Tomlinson of Marlin. Pallbearers will be Tim Snokhous, Miles Anderson, Donny Cox, Greg Smith, Billy Spurlock and Ronnie Smith. Honorary pallbearers are Dub Moore, Johnny Smith, Carl Cox, Hal Cox, Ray Cox, and Dr. Walter B. King, Jr. The family would like to thank Dr. Loden and his staff for their caring and concern in Lila’s final days. Memorial gifts in lieu of flowers may be made to the Lila Smith Cox Memorial Scholarship at Baylor University, c/o Virginia Feind, P.O. Box 97050, Waco, TX 76798. Memorial guestbook at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. WILKIRSON-HATCH-BAILEY