DOUGLAS BERNARD COX
Douglas Bernard Cox, 67, departed this earthly life on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, at the Columbia VA Health Care System in Columbia. He was born on Jan. 1, 1953, to Thelma W. Miner and the late Tyrone Eichelberger Sr. in Jacksonboro. On Jan. 3, 1975, he married his childhood sweetheart, Denise J. Blackwell. They enjoyed 46 years of blissful marriage. To this union a son, Derrick L. Cox, was born.
Douglas graduated from Colleton High School in Walterboro in the Class of 1969. He pursued a military career and joined the U.S. Air Force where he served a total of 44 years before he was honorably discharged. He also served in the Air Force Reserve being deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and Turkey. Douglas worked in the banking industry on Wall Street in New York.
Education being an important goal for him, Douglas received his Bachelor of Arts from Fordham University in the Bronx, New York. He didn't stop there. He went on to receive his Master of Arts from Monroe College in the Bronx. Douglas loved all subjects, especially science, history and philosophy and was an avid reader. He loved to play chess and debate, never deferring to his opponent; he had to win. He also loved all sports especially basketball and football. He enjoyed gardening and fishing and was an excellent grill master at family cookouts.
Douglas leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Denise; his son, Derrick; his mother, Thelma Miner; sisters, Edna W. Crute (Samuel), Yvonne Wigfall (Rick), Arnold Wigfall and Renee Wigfall; special aunt, Rose Sanders; special cousins, Kenneth E. Sanders (Barbara) and James V. Cox Sr.; his mother-in-law, Juanita Blackwell; sisters-in-law, Diane, Norma and Donna; and a host of nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, other relatives and friends.
The family is receiving relatives and friends at the home, 1329 Crowndale Drive, Sumter.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday from the New Covenant Presbyterian Church, USA, 907 Legare St., Sumter, with Pastor Elijah Washington, pastor and eulogist, and the Rev. Mary Hagan, assisting.
The remains will be placed in the church at 9:30 a.m.
The funeral procession will leave the home at 8:50 a.m.
Interment will follow in the Fort Jackson National Cemetery, 4170 Percival Road, Columbia.
These services are entrusted to the management and staff of Williams Funeral Home Inc., 821 N. Main St., Sumter.
Online memorial messages may be sent to the family at williamsfuneralhome@sc.rr.com. Visit us on the web at www.williamsfuneralhomeinc.com.