- Date Of Birth: November 17, 1919
- Date Of Death: September 23, 2014
- State: Texas
Selma Oleta Cox, 94, of Belton died Tuesday, Sept. 23, at her residence.
The family suggests that Memorial donations be made to the Church Library at First Baptist Church Belton. She was preceded in death by her husband, Doyle Cox; her parents, Walter and Lucy Pearl Henry; a brother, Sonny Henry; two sisters, Mary Johnson and Imahrea Cloer; and a stepson, Doyle Dean Cox. Survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, Charles and Mata Cox of Marble Falls and Gary and Kathy Cox of Austin; a brother, John Lester Henry of San Angelo; two sisters, Thelma May and Rita Mason, both of Austin; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
As the following words will make clear, Oleta Cox was chiseled from the strong and resilient granite of a true Texas woman. Her courage, devotion to God, intelligence, energy, and sense of justice were known to all who were around her for her entire lifetime. She led a full and vigorous life over her entire lifetime. Her presence would fill any room she walked into. Mrs. Cox was born Nov 17, 1919, on the family farm near Goldthwaite to Walter C. and Lucy Pearl Henry. As the oldest child she was instrumental in helping to raise her six siblings. Her influence on their upbringing was acknowledged by several of them when they referred to her as their “John Boy” (from The Waltons TV show). She attended Howard Payne College in Brownwood and received a Bachelors of Home Economics degree from Texas Womans University in Denton in 1940, graduating in the top 5 students in her class.
Oleta’s (and the rest of her siblings’) education was so important to her father that he gave Oleta the use of the family car for her to be able to attend Texas Womans University for two years in Denton so that she could pursue her calling to get a degree in Home Economics. The family willingly made do without the car. These and other sacrifices made by others on her behalf no doubt instilled in her the duty to willingly sacrifice for others. Oleta was married to Doyle Cox in 1941 until his passing in 1979.
Doyle worked for the Santa Fe Railroad, and she moved with him to Melvin, Little River, Milano, and Valley Mills before finally moving to Belton where she has lived since 1960. Upon moving to each of these towns she would quickly “join the community” by embracing the activities and by volunteering her services to her community and especially to her church. Among the volunteer services and activities referred to above are the following: Member and officer in the Order of the Eastern Star, 1940s and 1950s; she believed that each child should have access to the outside world and tirelessly worked as a representative for World Book Encyclopedia, 1940s through 1970s; she was a Cub Scout leader, 1950s; she volunteered her services to the local Grief and Loss organization (later called New Beginnings), a support group for people who have suffered a personal loss of a loved one, 1980s through 2014.
She was an English teacher and School Librarian for Belton high School for many years before retiring in 1980. Many of her high school English students have approached her in later years to thank her for insisting that they were in her class to learn and for holding them accountable and on purpose with their learning. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Belton since 1960, serving as a Sunday School teacher for many years and into her 90s. She was Head Church Librarian at First Baptist for 21 years and into her 90s.
Mrs. Cox enjoyed being a homemaker. She was a great cook. She organized and conducted the Cox Family Reunions and the Henry Family Reunions for many years. She loved to travel with the Golden Age Club at First Baptist to far away exotic places. She played a competitive game of Skip-Bo and was the one to try to beat. She loved her family, her church, her community, and her home in which she lived for 48 years and in which she was able to reside until the day she left her body to be with her Savior. The family wishes to thank Scott and White Hospice, her Sunday School class, and family and friends for their support and the loving care they provided to Oleta. She will be missed.
