Joan B. Cox

1925 - 2021

Joan (Buckley) Walker Cox, beloved wife of the late Thomas Riggs Cox Jr. died peacefully in the arms of her family on April 14, 2021. She was 95. Joan was born on Oct. 11, 1925 in Fort Riley, Kansas, the daughter of Colonel Harry A. Buckley and Elizabeth Booth. She graduated from Marymount College in Tarrytown, NY where she was elected May Queen of her class. In 1949 she married Paul F. Walker and worked for The Reader's Digest until the birth of her two sons, Paul Barton Walker and two years later Kenneth Buckley Walker. The family moved to Harford in 1962. After Paul's sudden death in 1973 Joan married Thomas Cox. Her grace, love and support knit two families into one. They moved to Bloomfield where they divided their time between family gatherings, travels, and their homes in Florida and Cape Cod. Her many volunteer works included support for The School for the Deaf, The Women's Committee at The Wadsworth Atheneum and The Literacy Council. She taught classes in Christian religion and doctrine at her church in West Hartford and served for two years as President of the Connecticut Valley Garden Club. While in Florida Joan served as Decorator on the Renovation Committee of The Colony House which was originally designed by Fredrick Law Olmstead. She was very active in her husband's projects in Lake Wales, FL, supporting his work for migrant farm workers, the Lake Wales Literacy Council, Polk Community College and Vanguard School. In her later years she and Thomas moved to The Seabury Retirement Community where for eight years she directed an outreach program for the Horace Bushnell Children's Food Pantry. Joan was a longtime member of The Hartford Golf Club and a past member of The Mountain Lake Club in Florida, The Wianno Club on Cape Cod and The Colony Club in Boston. She was an accomplished athlete. Joan is survived by her beloved sons Bart Walker and Kenneth Walker (Susan) and by her treasured stepchildren, Mally Cox-Chapman, (Jim), and Zabby Cox; daughter-in-law's Marie Cox and Kay Cox, and her cherished sisters Elizabeth Connelly and Ann Griffith. Her grandchildren Paul, Blake, and Kevin Walker; Kenneth Jr. and Ashley Walker; step-grandchildren Amanda Cox Frantzen (Jason), Sam Cox (Catherine); William Cox (Melissa), Molly Cox Nix (John); Lucy Cox-Chapman Dagneau (Zack), Jay Cox-Chapman. Step great grandchildren Arlo and Owen Frantzen, Calliope and Sebastian Cox, James and Clare Dagneau, and Christopher Nix. Step niece Diana Baker and her many Griffith and Connelly nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her brother Colonel Harry A. Buckley, Jr., stepsons Thomas Cox III and Christopher Cox, daughter-in-law Christine Walker, step-daughter-in-law Raleigh Cox and step son-in-law Jack Helder. Her family would like to thank Dr. Bert Keating, Olga Dejesus, the nurses, Chaplin and security members of Seabury for their compassionate care and her friends Bernie Roberston, Nancy MacColl and her many friends for their support for Joan. While remarkable for her elegance and beauty, Joan will be remembered most of all for the grace and love that she conveyed to all who knew her. A private Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Sacred Heart Church in Bloomfield. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sacred Heart Church, 26 Wintonbury Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 or Seabury Charitable Foundation, 200 Seabury Drive, Bloomfield CT 06002. The Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center of Avon is caring for the arrangements. For condolences, please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com.