More detail on this person: Billy Joe Cox, 86, of Abilene, Texas passed away peacefully on Monday, August 13, 2018. Billy was born on May 8, 1932 in Cameron, Texas to the late William Floyd and Florence Cox. He volunteered for service in the United States in August 1949 and served one combat tour in Korea before separating from the Army in April 1953. During this period of service, he was awarded the Soldiers Medal, the nation's highest honor a soldier can receive for an act of valor in peacetime for saving the lives of four teenagers whose car was involved in an accident with the fuel tanker and was engulfed in flames. Billy rejoined the Army in November 1961 to accept a commission as a Warrant Officer and completed flight school at Camp Wolters, Texas. His career spanned 20 years to include two combat tours in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot during which he was awarded the Purple Heart, the Star Medal and ten Air Medals to include one Air Medal for Valor. Billy received a Meritorious Service Medal for designing a system for taking oil samples on aircraft and vehicles that is continued to be used by the Army today. Billy retired from the Army in May 1978 at the rank of Chief Warrant Officer Three after serving 20 years in the aviation and aviation maintenance career fields. After retirement from the military, Billy continued with his love of helicopters and went to work for Bell Helicopter. In 1979 he worked with Bell Helicopter in Iran as a mechanical instructor and again in Fort Worth and Arlington, Texas as a contract representative and a writer of tech manuals for helicopters. Billy was preceded in death by his parents, his loving wife of 62 years, Cloyce Juanell Cox, who passed away July 19, 2018, two sons William Garfield and Donnie Joe Cox, and two brothers William and George Cox. Billy is survived by his daughter Linda and her husband Darrell Rogers of Abilene, Texas, a granddaughter Trista and her spouse Marti Martinez of San Antonio, a great-granddaughter Amelinda Cox-Martinez of San Antonio, two sisters Mae (Lloyd) Warren of Abilene, Texas and Lynda (Charlie) Martin of Anson, Texas, brother Donnie (Betty) Cox of San Antonio, Texas and a host of nieces and nephews. Billy will be remembered as a loving husband, father, Papa, Big Papa, brother and uncle. He was known for his amazing generosity, his love for anything golf, and his dedication to the military and his family. He will be greatly missed by family and friends. The family will receive friends at a visitation from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, August 16 at Abilene Funeral Home. The funeral service will be Friday, August 17 at 9:30 a.m. at Abilene Funeral Home Inc. with Jim Ritter officiating. Billy will be laid to rest with full military honors at the Texas State VeteransCemetery at Abilene immediately following the funeral service. The Flag will be presented by Colonel Scott J. Putzier (Ret.) The family invites friends to join them for a meal after the burial ceremony at Hamby Baptist Church in Hamby, Texas.
Burial information: Texas State VeteransCemetery, Abilene, TX
This information was last updated 10/16/2018
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Date posted on this site: 06/15/2024
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