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Kenneth George Cox

Kenneth Cox Obituary

Kenneth George Cox

1978-2009

Our beloved son, Kenneth George Cox was born on August 1, 1978. He attended local schools at Crest Drive, Jefferson, and Churchill.

From an early age he had a love of the outdoors. He spent his early days turning over rocks, building forts, and climbing trees. His first of many solo adventures was a week long trip into the mountains on his fourteenth birthday.

He was passionate about being active. He played a variety of sports as a youth finally settling on wrestling as his sport of choice. The commitment and challenges required to be a successful wrestler were a perfect fit for Kenny.

Prior to high school, he had only moderate success. His ability to dedicate himself began to pay off when in high school he won ten state championships and five national championships.

Often, success clouds your vision of who you are. Kenny never lost sight of what he valued most. His greatest achievements were not on the mat. His reverence for God, his respect for all people, and his love for family and friends, these will be his legacy and his greatest achievements.

After high school he attended the University of Oregon on a wrestling scholarship, graduating in 2001. He continued to be involved in wrestling and for the next seven years coached and/or taught at McKenzie, Pleasant Hill, South Eugene, and Spencer Butte.

Though passionate and effective as a coach/teacher, the constraints of schedules, stress, and demands led him to seek the quietness and peace of a schedule he created, not one dictated by his employment.

His desire to live simply led him to purchase a house. He spent much of the next four years working at his home and remodeling it. The bumper sticker ?All who wander are not lost? fit him well. In the middle of this time of home ownership, he left his renters in charge and headed to Mexico on foot with just a backpack. This seven month journey helped him establish even a stronger bond with family and friends.

People were always a priority with Kenny. His life stood in strong contrast to most of society. Ownership, accomplishments, and approval of others valued little to him. He was rich in ways those close to him understood. If you were around him very long, you soon learned about his uncommon ability to connect with you. He preferred inquiring about ?what are you up to today? as opposed to talking about himself. When done talking to Kenny you felt valued and affirmed.

Though most of his close friends had settled into careers and family life, Kenny was very content to explore life without this conventional path. In addition to loving his friends, Kenny loved his family deeply. He often called and traveled to see his mother and father and dear sisters: Christa, Lisa and Hannah. He was loved by his nieces and nephews: Gracey, McKenna, Emma, Lily, Colton, Jackson, Caden, Malachi, and Conner.

Soon after selling his house, he felt it was time for another adventure. On April 25, he arrived in Kauai, Hawaii. He made a special effort to see or talk to his family and friends before leaving. He said he was walking deep into this wilderness area to ?find direction for his life.? He had studied the area and knew of the challenges awaiting him. With only two weeks of provisions, he planned to live off the land for the remaining 8 weeks of his journey. Though few would enjoy such a trek, Kenny loved being close to the earth and learning how to live in concert with nature without the usual camping comforts.

We were thrilled when, after 70 days, he walked out of the wilderness to call his friends and family. He said he had attended a church nearby at the end of his journey. Motivated by a passage in Phil. 4:12-19, he directed his parents to remove enough money to pay half of their plane fare to come visit him along with 9 other family members and friends whom he also wanted the money advanced to encourage them to visit. He said this to say ?Thank you? for all the help given him on the remodel of his house.

We arrived to see Kenny on August 9 and had 5 glorious days with him. He was so happy and full of joy. His spiritual journey had started with a decision to be baptized when he was 9. He fully embraced his Christian faith. About when he was 16-26 years of age, he continued to have a reverence for God but distanced himself from Him. Through experiences he related, particularly since he had been to Kauai, he had turned back to fully embrace God and his savior Jesus Christ.

In Ecclesiastes, chapter 3, it says there is a time for everything. We believe God chose this time to take Kenny. We say with Job, the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord. Thank you God for giving us 31 years with Kenny and then ushering him into eternity with you.

Kenny died on the way to the hospital on August 14, 2009. He died of an undisclosed severe respiratory illness.

Our family wishes to express our deepest thanks for support during his life and after his passing. Thank you for his dear friends, our church body at Berean Baptist Church, our neighbors and friend, and the greater wrestling community.

In honor of Kenny?s memory, a memorial fund has been established. Contributions can be sent or dropped off at Berean Baptist Church, 1210 Chambers, Eugene, OR 97405. Funds will be used to buy a park bench with any excess funds used to support the Churchill Wrestling Club.

Those seeking more information or who want to submit more information regarding Kenny may log on to his blog site at http://[email protected]

Finally, a tribute from his oldest sister, Christa: ?My brother Kenny Cox would be considered unconventional by some, but in all the areas that really mattered he exceeded our capacity.?

We love you Kenny, Looking forward to seeing you.Your family and friends.Please sign the guest book at www.registerguard.com/legacy

Published by Eugene Register-Guard on Aug. 27, 2009.
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The Cox Family:
Michael Coppperma's eloquent EW article, Hungry for Eden Kenny Cox's Final Journey, inspired me to submit this entry. For many years, as a wrestling official, I developed a special realtionship with Kenny, talking with him, counseling him and just observing him through the years, all within the confines of a wrestling mat. These were wonderful times for both of us. Oftentimes before or after competition Kenny and I would visit, nothing serious just mainly interested in how he was doing and eventhough he was always soft spoken,there always seemed to be a coiled energy that he could draw from at anytime. I saw Kenny many years later, after his Churchill,U of O and McKenzie HS experiences, I was working in my yard which fronts 13th Street, when my attention was drawn to a young man approaching on a skate board, as he drew nearer I could see he was young, blonde hair slightly dreaded, wearing worn and tattered clothing,arriving at the point of the sudewalk where I stood we glanced at one another as his whizzed by and as he did I recognized this young man to be Kenny Cox. In my excitement I hollered, "Kenny" at which time he stopped and waited as I ran to catch him. I enbraced him and repeated, more softly, "Kenny" asking him how he was doing just as I had many times before. He replied he was doing good but was in a hurry to meet some friends that were giving him a ride, he said "I'm going to sea" which he repeated twice. With that he was gone. That was the last time I saw Kenny. This community has lost a wonderful person. Love and Peace.

Don Rowland

September 25, 2009

Dear George and Vivien,Christa,Lisa,and Hannah and your families too,I count it as a priviledge to have known your family from the time Viv was expecting Kenny. We were very shocked to learn of his parting this world but have every assurance that he is in the arms of Jesus.We will never forget his precious smile,passion for life and others. Kenny was a very strong willed little boy but boy when he was in the 2 and 3s that i helped teach. I will never forget the Love and support you gave him Viv when you came in to help in the department and the difference your encouragement and firm Love made in his and other lives.We are praying for you and Love you all in Christ, Wendy and Randy Bishop

September 13, 2009

I heard yesterday that Kenny had passed away. I am in shock He was a good friend in High School. I am so sorry for your loss.

Josh Tucker

September 13, 2009

aloha,
my name is zander and i live on kaua'i... i just yesterday found out about kenny's passing... i only met and hung out with kenny a few times, twice while trying to recruit him to play hacky sack on the beach and once when he offered to buy me a piece of pizza... one look into kenny's eyes and you knew that he was not stuck in this world... he was a free and generous spirit, very rare to see these days...
it hit me harder than expected to hear of his passing... i can say that even though i new him briefly, he made an impact on my life and touched many other souls on this island...
blessingz to you, kenny and thank you to your family for having and raising such an amazing being...

zander phelps

September 6, 2009

Dear George and Vivian, Greg and I are so sorry for your loss. I never met Kenny but we spoke of and prayed for him at Berean and at home. I'm so glad Jesus is our Savior so I can meet Kenny one glorious day. Love the Miller family.

Cindy Miller

September 3, 2009

The whole Cox family,
Once again I want you and everyone who might read this to know I thought Kenny was a pretty special guy. He touched many lives and some imprints he left were deeper for some than others. He will not be forgotten.
Bonnie Hadden

Bonnie Hadden

August 30, 2009

To the Cox Family,
We were so sorry to hear of your loss. It sounds to us like Kenny was a very special son, brother, and uncle who will be missed by all. The Lord be with you all.
With much love,
Steve and Tracy Hastings

Steve/Tracy Hastings

August 30, 2009

Mel Vessel

August 29, 2009

Dear Vivien and George,
Just know you are in my thoughts and prayers and hope to be at the service tomorrow.
Love, Colleen Maas

August 28, 2009

My prayers are with you.

Jonathan Lloyd

August 28, 2009

Dear George and Vivian, I am so sorry for your loss. I'll never forget the two you. You were a part of my childhood that to think of, brings fond memories. God bless you.
Love, Betty Bean Burlington

August 28, 2009

dear cox family, i am so sorry for your loss, our thoughts and prayers go out to you all from all of us...

peace be with you

todd westling and family

August 28, 2009

George and Vivian, so sorry for your loss of Kenny. The obit on his life in the paper today was a blessing to read and honors our Lord. I'm sorry to say I've a planned trip out of town this Sat. and won't be able to attend the service and to see both of you. Know that my prayers have been with you. A side note. Yesterday was the 5th anni. of Mary's passing. We got together as a family for pizza and fun and told some funny stories about Mary. It was a hard day for my 2 girls who cling to Christ. Each year is easier for our hope is in Christ alone. My heart goes out to as it does to my mother-in-law. I've told her that I can't begin to understand how it feels to lose a child. I, like her, know what its like to lose a spouse but a child is totally a different thing. Praise be to our God that we will one day meet again in Heaven where there is no pain and fullness of Joy.

Blessings!

Dennis Ford

Dennis Ford

August 27, 2009

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