Theodore Alexander Wilcox

Theodore A. "Butch" Wilcox, 82, passed away Tuesday, February 4, 2025 at Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith, Arkansas with loving family at his side. Butch was born in Jacksonville, Florida on June 2, 1942, the son of Flake and Edith (Williams) Wilcox. At age 17 he joined the U.S. Navy, served in the submarine service and retired as Chief 22 years later. After active duty, he attended the University of Florida and received his Bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering. His corporate work career was at electric utility companies; Public Service Indiana, Arizona Public Service, and Westinghouse nuclear in Japan. He then started his own engineering company and worked in several states including Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana. After retirement, Butch did volunteer work at Stepping Stones in Prescott, AZ, and helped feed the homeless at Salvation Army several days a week.
Butch married Rita Hocking on August 4, 1984. They loved traveling to new places and seeing the great USA. Butch traveled to all 50 states, lived in a few countries and made many friends along the way. For his entire life his favorite sport was fishing. Even if the fish weren't biting it was ok. Just being in the boat on the water was happiness. The best part of life was time with family. Every year grandkids and great grandkids traveled with Butch and Rita for summer break to Kentucky Lake. They have all said those trips were some of the best memories of their childhood. Any time spent with grandkids was a wonderful time.
Those left to cherish his memory are his wife Rita, daughter Sheila (Scott) Miles, son Jason (Simone) Sprinkle, step-daughter Kimberly Harney, brother Mike (Dina) Wilcox, sister in law Bonnie Hocking, brother-in-law Steven (Joy) Hocking, grandchildren Dylan Miles, Alycia Sprinkle, Riven Sprinkle, Aiden Sprinkle, Nicole Sprinkle, Michael Sprinkle, Amanda Harney, Elizabeth Harney; great-grandchildren Micah Murphy, Lucas Lamay and Alexis Lamay; and several nieces and nephews.
Preceded in death were his parents, sons Mark Wilcox and Mike Sprinkle, sister Wency Stepp and brother Daniel Feagle.
A military service to honor Butch will be held in Prescott, Arizona at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 7th, 2025, Prescott National Cemetery located at 500 N State Route 89. He will be truly missed by a host of family and friends.