SAMSON COX Obituary

Published by Legacy Remembers on Jan. 27, 2013.

SAMSON ARTHUR (ART) COX

Art Cox passed away on Jan. 17, 2013, at the University of Arizona Medical Center hospital in Tucson. Art and his wife, Elizabeth (Betty) E. (Dowling Whiting) Cox, moved to Green Valley, AZ, 16 years ago from Downers Grove, IL.

Art was born in Johnstown, PA, on Aug. 9, 1925, together with his identical twin brother John Thomas (Tom) Cox. Their parents were Thomas S. Cox and Mabel B. (Frisch) Cox. After graduating from Johnstown High School in 1943, Art and Tom were inducted into the U. S. Army and fought in World War II. Art served in the First Infantry Division (the Big Red 1) and was awarded the Purple Heart with two oak leaf clusters. He returned home and was honorably discharged in the spring of 1946.

Art benefited from the G.I. Bill by attending the College of William and Mary in Virginia. After graduating from William and Mary in 1950, he went to graduate school at Duke University, where he earned a Ph.D. degree in physics in 1955. At William and Mary, Art was inducted into membership in the Phi Beta Kappa honor society, Alpha Chapter of Virginia, in 1949. At Duke University, he was elected to membership in the Society of Sigma Xi, a scientific honor society, in 1954.

After completing college and graduate school, Art worked at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois, where he had a successful career as a nuclear physicist for almost 35 years. He published numerous scientific research papers, and he was awarded four patents for inventing scientific instruments in 1978,1979, 1981, and 1985.

Besides being a successful nuclear physicist, Art was also an accomplished amateur trumpet player. He grew up in a musical family, where his father, mother, brother, and both sisters all played musical instruments.. He played in school bands and orchestras, and in community music groups, in Johnstown and at William and Mary. After moving to Illinois he became the principal trumpet player in the West Suburban Symphony, a community orchestra in Hinsdale, IL. He was an active member of the Downers Grove Music Club and occasionally played trumpet with other music groups and at church services.

Art's other hobby was amateur astronomy. When he was young, in Johnstown, he built his own telescope the old-fashioned way, grinding and polishing the mirror. Later, in Illinois, he bought several more modern telescopes, which he brought with him to Arizona, where he enjoyed the much darker, clearer nights for viewing the moon, stars, and planets. In Green Valley he was a member of the Sonoran Astronomical Society.

Art and Betty loved traveling together and attending concerts, plays, and other performances. Favorite travel destinations included cruises and the annual theater festival in Stratford, Ontario. Three of the trips they took were to view a total eclipse of the sun.

Art was preceded in death by his twin brother Tom Cox and his sister Doris (Cox) Paisley. He is survived by his sister Wanda (Cox) Willaman, his wife Betty, his son Thomas (Tom) M. Cox, his stepson Robert L. Whiting, and his daughters Phyllis A. F. Cox and Christine N. (Cox) Gronlund.

Art's funeral will take place at Green Valley Mortuary and Cemetery, 18751 S. La Caada Drive in Sahuarita, on Wednesday, Jan. 30 at 1 p.m., with visitation beginning at 11 a.m. and burial immediately following the service.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Memories and Condolences
for SAMSON COX

What is your first memory of SAMSON?

Share a favorite memory you have of SAMSON.

Tell us about a special moment you shared with SAMSON.

Describe a time when SAMSON made you laugh or smile.

What is something you will always remember about SAMSON?

Talk about a shared experience you had with SAMSON.

What is something you did together that you enjoyed?

Describe a place or activity that reminds you of SAMSON.

Tell us about a personal story or anecdote involving SAMSON.

What is something you learned from SAMSON?

Not sure what to say?

2 Entries

February 5, 2013

Laura Arthur

To light your way ;) -- love, your niece, Laurie 'Cox" Arthur

February 5, 2013

Laurie Cox-Arthur

We will miss you uncle art :( Our love and prayers goes out to the family...

Showing 1 - 2 of 2 results

Make a Donation
in SAMSON COX's name

Memorial Events
for SAMSON COX

To offer your sympathy during this difficult time, you can now have memorial trees planted in a National Forest in memory of your loved one.

How to support SAMSON's loved ones
Commemorate a cherished Veteran with a special tribute of Taps at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.

Read more
Attending a Funeral: What to Know

You have funeral questions, we have answers.

Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?

What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?

Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?

We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.

Read more
Resources to help you cope with loss
How to Write an Obituary

Need help writing an obituary? Here's a step-by-step guide...

Read more
Estate Settlement Guide

If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.

Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast

Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.

Read more
The Five Stages of Grief

They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.

Read more
Ways to honor SAMSON COX's life and legacy
How to Write an Obituary

Need help writing an obituary? Here's a step-by-step guide...

Read more
Obituary Templates

These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.

Read more
Obituary Examples

You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.

Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?

Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.

Read more