James Harvey “Jimmy” Cox, Sr., 95, died on August 14, 2017 at Halcyon Hospice in Sandy Springs, GA.  Born November 26, 1921 in Ragland, Alabama to Louise Fite Cox and Cicero Albert Cox, Jimmy grew up in Alabama and, later, Kennesaw, GA. Following graduation from Marietta High School in 1938, he spent two years with the Civilian Conservation Corps, building Hard Labor Creek State Park in Rutledge, GA. He attended Georgia Tech for one year before enlisting in the Navy in 1942. He transferred to the Army Air Corps and served in WWII as a bombardier in the Pacific Theatre. He earned a BS degree in Textile and Industrial Engineering in 1949 and his MS in Textile Engineering in 1951 from Georgia Tech. As a navigator in the Air Force Reserves, he later flew 19 combat missions in Viet Nam and retired as a decorated Lieutenant Colonel with 38 years of service. 

In his long civilian career, he taught textile engineering at Auburn University, worked as an engineer for Celanese in Rome, GA, Chemstrand in Durham, NC, Uniroyal in Columbia, SC, and finally at the IRS in Atlanta until his retirement in 1981. He and his family lived in Dunwoody, Georgia from 1969 until he and his beloved wife, Rosemary, moved to assisted living in 2013. 

One of the “Greatest Generation,” Jimmy loved his country and served it well. He loved azaleas, his grape vines, his “grape queens,” vacations to St. Simons, military history, and international travel.  Above all else, he cherished his family, including his wife Rosemary, his four children and their spouses, and his seven grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 70 years, Rosemary Jones Cox; children, James Cox, Jr. (Lori) of Atlanta; Mary Beth Zibilich (Tom) of Atlanta; Samuel Cox (Erin) of Greensboro, NC; and Matthew Cox (Rebecca) of Charlotte; and grandchildren, Cody, Maggie, Taylor, Cameron, Anna, Avery, and Charlie. He was predeceased by his parents and his two brothers Cicero Albert “Sonny” Cox, Jr. and Robert Cox, both of Marietta. 

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 on Friday, August 18 at St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church, 1978 Mt. Vernon Rd., Dunwoody, GA 30338. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Georgia Tech Foundation in support of the C.A. Jones Scholarship Fund in the School of Materials Science and Engineering. Georgia Tech Foundation, 760 Spring Street, NW, Suite 400, Atlanta, GA  30308.