Barbara L. Cox

Barbara L. Cox
Virginia - Barbara L. Cox (Paul), 81, of Virginia, Illinois, passed away February 2, 2026, at Springfield Memorial Hospital.
She was born January 9, 1945, the daughter of Alvin and Marie (Braner) Paul. Barb graduated from Triopia High School in 1963. She married Darrell Cox of Virginia, Illinois on December 3, 1976, and they spent five decades raising their three boys, running Cox Cleaners dry-cleaning business, farming, and caring for many local children in her home daycare business.
In addition to her beloved husband Darrell, she is survived by her twin sons, Greg Wilson (Nancy) and Ken Wilson (Heather); her son, Justin Cox; her brothers, Jim Paul (Kristina) and Charlie Paul (JoDell); her grandchildren, Tyler Wilson, Nicole Wilson, and Baylie Wilson; and her great-grandchildren, Brooks and Barrett (Bear).
She was preceded in death by her parents, Alvin and Marie of Arenzville, Illinois.
Barb was the daughter of a truck driver and the longtime Postmaster of Arenzville, Illinois. She was a Football Mom and a Swim Mom. She deeply loved, supported, and was enormously proud of her three boys, her daughters-in-law, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren. She also touched the lives of the many other local children she loved and cared for in her home daycare business. She enjoyed watching her son Ken's football teams play games on crisp fall Saturdays, she loved sharing laughs with friends and family on fall weekends during "Deer Camp" and warm spring weekends at "Turkey Camp", but most of all she loved just being a farm wife, spending peaceful summer evenings with Darrell, surrounded by buzzing hummingbirds, looking out at their beautiful lake from the deck of the home they built together in Virginia, Illinois. She was a great cook, loved doing the daily crossword puzzle, enjoyed gardening, canning, and fishing.
The family will hold private burial at Garner Chapel Cemetery sometime in the future. The Williamson Funeral Home in Jacksonville is assisting the family. Condolences may be sent online at airsman-hires.com.