David Perry Cox passed away at the age of 73, on March 30, 2023, in Brownwood. He was born on March 31, 1949, in Brownwood, to Perry and Katie (Gray) Cox. David attended all grades of school in Brownwood and graduated from Brownwood High School in 1967. He attended Howard Payne University, University of North Texas, Angelo State University and received an associate’s degree from Cook College. He loved growing up in Brownwood and spending time with numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins, who were like siblings to this only child. He met the love of his life, Valna Elizabeth Sauer, at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church. They married in 1968 and spent 54 years of for better or worse together. They were blessed with four children. He began his career as an engineer for GTE in 1968. This new job took him to Irving, San Angelo, back to Brownwood, and in 2003 he retired from GTE/Verizon back in San Angelo.
David spent much of his free time serving others. He actively participated in Kiwanis, serving as club president, lieutenant governor for the Texas/Oklahoma district, and was honored as both Lay Person of the Year and as a George F. Hixson Fellow. He was an active deacon at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church where he was a member of the J.O.Y. class with Liz. David loved to serve students and took pride in ensuring that they had access to church. He is known to have supervised many junior high ping pong tournaments, making certain that fun was had by all. David also had a commercial driver’s license and enjoyed driving busses for youth events. David loved his dogs; a house wasn’t home without a dachshund or two…or three. Some of his other hobbies and interests included cars, woodworking, video production, and photography, but David believed nothing beat a good old family event. He worked tirelessly each spring to make sure that a clean pool was ready for everyone the first day that it was warm enough to swim. David was a loving husband, dedicated father, and the classic fun Papaw.
He was preceded in death by his parents Perry and Katie and his first dachshund Winnie, and survived by his wife Liz, his children Becky (David) Bray, San Angelo; Bobby (Angie) Cox, Phoenix Arizona; Audra (Patrick) Schultz, Saginaw, Michigan; and Noah Cox, Brownwood. Also surviving Papaw are his amazing grandchildren Braden (Sarah) Cox, Kyndal (Kevin) Jensen, Justin and Cameron Bray, Shannon and Ryan Schultz, Liam Sotello and his two dogs Buster and Bandit. Honorary pallbearers will be Papaw’s grandsons.
The family will receive visitors at Heartland Funeral Home on Sunday, April 2nd, from 4-6pm. Services will be held at 2pm on Monday, April 3rd, at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church in Brownwood.
The family requests memorials be made to the Coggin Avenue Baptist Church Youth Fund, 1815 Coggin Ave, Brownwood, 76801.
Condolences, memories, and tributes can be offered to the Cox family online at heartlandfuneralhome.com.
