Joseph W. Coxe III

COXE, Dr. Joseph W. III, died on Thursday, November 29, 2007 at Henrico Doctors' Hospital, surrounded by his family. Dr. Coxe was born on January 3, 1923 in Roanoke, Va. to Joseph W. Coxe Jr. and Margaret Saunders Coxe. He graduated from Woodberry Forrest School in 1939 and from Hampden-Sydney College in 1943. He obtained his medical degree from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 1946 and served in the Navy from 1947 to 1949. After studying at the University of Rochester at Strong Memorial Hospital, he completed his surgical residency at UCLA in 1953. Dr. Coxe and his family settled in Richmond in 1954, where he began his surgical career at the McGuire Clinic/St. Luke's Hospital. During his 35-year career in general surgery, he was instrumental in the growth of the Clinic and Hospital and their relocation to Parham Road. He was proud of his appointment as Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Medical College of Virginia; he also served as a consultant at the VA Hospital. He will be remembered best for his devotion to his family and his extraordinary concern for his patients. Many of his colleagues relied on Dr. Coxe for compassionate care of their own families. His happiest hours were spent sailing the waters of the Northern Neck or enjoying the company of his devoted golden retrievers, Beth, Maddie and Teddy. Dr. Coxe is survived by his wife of 59 years, True Summers Coxe; his son, Joseph Wentworth Coxe IV and his wife, Barbara, of Newport News; his daughter, Margaret Summers Coxe; his daughter, Anne Coxe Jones and her husband, Herbert, all of Richmond; and his younger brother, William Saunders Coxe and his wife, Polly, of St. Louis, Mo. A memorial service will be held on Monday, December 3 at 1 p.m. at St. James's Episcopal Church, 1205 W. Franklin Street, Richmond, with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Golden Retriever Foundation/Rescue Fund or April Fund, P.O. Box 3462, Omaha, Neb. 68103 or the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, 6 Herndon Ave., Annapolis, Md. 21403, attention: Membership Department. "The gods do not deduct from man's allotted span those hours spent in sailing."