Cleve H. Cox
Cleve H. Cox, 61, of Arapahoe, NC, died peacefully at home on October 19, 2015, after a tenacious fight with the cancer. He was born March 25, 1954, in Salisbury, NC, and was the son of the late Peggy and Jim Cox. He was a graduate of Salisbury High School , the University of North Carolina at Charlotte , The Pennsylvania State University, and North Carolina State University , where he earned a Doctor of Education degree in 1985. Since August, 2009, he served as President of Pamlico Community College. Prior to that, Cox was President of Williamsburg Technical College in Kingstree , South Carolina . He also worked more than 20 years in numerous positions at Wilson Community College, Wilson, NC and at both North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC; and Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, IA. Throughout his adult life, he was involved in numerous civic and church activities, including Rotary, where he had 18 years perfect attendance and was a Paul Harris Fellow; Habitat for Humanity; United Way; Cub and Boy Scouts; Meals on Wheels; and the Episcopal Church, as he was a cradle Episcopalian. He served as Junior and Senior Warden at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Rocky Mount, North Carolina and Senior Warden of St. Alban’s in Kingstree , SC. He regularly attended St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Oriental. He served on the board of the Pamlico County Chamber of Commerce; Neuse River Development Authority; Pamlico/Craven Salvation Army Board; Pamlico County Communities in Schools; the Pamlico County Economic Advisory Board; and was a member of the Rotary Club of Oriental, where he had been a member of the Board of Directors.
He had a hole-in-one at Maccripine Country Club in December, 1987 and a quip published in Readers Digest in June, 1994. Between 1996 and 2008, his sons and he saw at least one game in every major league baseball park. In 2007, they rode bicycles across the Golden Gate Bridge. Cox had been to the top of the CN Tower in Toronto, the Space Needle in Seattle, the Arch in St. Louis, and the Sombrero at South of the Border. He enjoyed reading a newspaper, watching college football on TV, feeding the birds, and especially liked to eat chicken wings he cooked on his charcoal Weber. He used the same bookmark for more than 12 years. He put more than a quarter million miles on the five-speed Chevrolet pick-up truck he bought and drove. He was accomplished at both trapping squirrels and piddling. Much of his free time, though not nearly enough, was spent with family and friends at The Thirsty Camel on the Pamlico River in eastern North Carolina. He enjoyed Motown, funk, and Americana music, particularly that of Robert Keen. He liked peanuts, preferred three-tined forks, and thought he could dance. He liked to eat and excelled at it. He could flat contain a yard chair. Rarely was he without The Barlow, a cherished gift from his Father. He found great joy in giving anonymously to the less fortunate and those in need. He greatly valued friendship and had a handful of true friends in his life. He found unequivocal joy in being both a husband and a father and enjoyed spending time with his family and thanked God every day for his tolerant, forgiving wife and his two wonderful sons, both of whom are Eagle Scouts.
His wife of more than 32 years, Janice Joyner Cox, sons Henry Cleve Cox of Oriental, and Jesse Crawford Cox of Raleigh, and one brother, James Crawford Cox, Jr. and family of New Bern survive him. Also surviving are brothers-in-law Tony Joyner and family of Greenville and Chris Joyner of Raleigh.
A memorial service & celebration of life will be held on Thursday, October 22, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Oriental, the Reverend Jeremiah Day officiating.
The family will receive friends on Wednesday, October 21st, 5 – 7 p.m., at the Shine Landing Club House in Arapahoe.
Don’t even think about flowers. The family requests contributions be made to
The Pamlico Community College Foundation, Dr. Cleve H. Cox Memorial Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 185, Grantsboro, NC, 28529, or St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Oriental, N.C.
