Category: Carl

Happy Birthday Carl – April 27

Well it is hard to believe, but Carl would have been sixty eight (68).  He was born April 27, 1941, in Circleville, Ohio and died November 7, 1988 in or near Washington Courthouse, Ohio.   Carl Edward Cox was the 2nd oldest child and 2nd son of Robert and Goldie Cox.

Carl was always a bit of a rennegade.  He loved to go his own way and seemed to enjoy life to the fullest. I do remember him getting a few punishments at school.  One time he stood up to some teacher.  There was something to do with him getting the paddle at school and getting it again from Daddy when he got home for getting into trouble at school.  I know that once he got a licking with a light cord.  Lordee, we all were so upset about that.  Daddy was bound and determined to make him mind.

I remember one time when Carl, as a teenager, had gotten into something and ran off into the field.  Daddy drove his car down the lane and was standing up on top of the car looking for him.  Carl was a character that everyone seemed to love.  My husband, Pat, still talks about Carl being a lovable type rascal.  

The funny thing is that you would have thought with all those lickings, he and Daddy would have been enemies.  But I remember them hunting and butchering and doing all kinds of things together as Carl became a man. 

We all remember the night Carl saved our lives.  He came home from a date sometime late at night.  As he is going up the stairs without lights and as the dog (can’t remember if it was Tippy or Ginger) was running back and forth, Carl felt the stair wall was hot.  The inside of the chimney was on fire and as we all know, Carl woke us all up and got us all to get out of there.  Some kids were a little reluctant to get up.  I think Gary almost got left up there.  Things are a little fuzzy, but I know we all got out alive, except the birds.  We know if Carl had not gotten home when he did, we all may not have made it out.  One thing for sure, Mommy did not want Carl to get water on her waxed floor.  I do remember sitting in the car with the kids watching the house burn while the fire department was squirting water.  I think they did as much damage as the fire.  

Someday, I hope we all take time to write our memories of the fire, but this is a tribute to CARL. 

Over the years, I do remember him being such a hard worker.   He gave all the men a chance to work for or with him, but took no crap or laziness from anybody.

 

Tommy with Larry and Carl.

Carl over to the far left on a Sunday School outing with Aunt Ethel’s Sunday School class.  I remember being driven there in the back of a truck.  Don’t miss Shirley with her lady like leg position right out in front. 

Carl 14 years old
Carl 14 years old

 Cox Gang 1979

Cox Gang – 1979
Carl with Grandma and Grandpa Cantrell in Kentucky
Carl with Grandma and Grandpa Cantrell in Kentucky

I hope everybody wishes “Carlie” a Happy Birthday.  He is probably up there having a great time laughing and cutting up with them right now.

I added this next part from Carl’s page just to keep it over here on the blog part too. 

Carl’s early childhood was spent mostly in Fairborn, Ohio.  Here is a picture of Carl with Susy Bolin with her arm around her cousin, Annabelle Bolin’s daughter, Cathy Bolin.  Annabelle is Daddy’s sister, Ethel’s daughter, our cousin.  Carl was a skinny kid, wasn’t he.

We spent a lot of time with Annabelle and Bobby Bolin when we lived in Fairborn, in the Holten houses.

Susy, Cathy, Carl

 

 

 

 

Carl joined the Army in …………..

 

 

Married Emma Joyce Leeth in …….

Joyce and Carl Wedding

 

Robert Goldie Joyce Carl at Carl and Joyce Wedding

Carl and Joyce had 3 children

TRADITIONS and LIFE CHANGES and Easter too!

As the years go by, it’s kind of funny the things you do all alone with the thoughts of those you love around you.  When I lived in Xenia I would do Christmas tree decorating w/Martha and Ricky and the “little ones”.  I’d spend time decorating cookies and the tree.  Now I place a string of lights around my big sofa picture and say “Merry Christmas”.   I still go to Shirley’s (Mom) for the actual holiday, but it is so different now. 

It’s Easter now and what do I do every year…boil eggs and color/decorate them.  Here I am 55 years old, I have no kids and no grandchildren, but I still decorate/color eggs (just a bakers dozen, but I still do it.)  I’ve always “named” my eggs w/Mom and Myrtle and me and Michael, but this year I was inspired to name each of them for Robert/Goldie Cox and their kids including Carl and Bobby (they are still here in our minds and hearts), so there were 2 eggs remaining.  One I just wrote “Happy Easter” and the other “Love and appreciation for Myrtle”.)  I thought she deserved a special egg because she’s had a “bit” of extra aggravation over the past year or two.   

Holidays and all the past Easter egg hunts we’ve all enjoyed as participants and observers and all of the nice clothes we’ve dressed up in for the occassions we’ve shared, Happy Easter and Happy Holidays to everyone!  Which brings me to a past Easter memory…I was 12 years old and Myrtle made  or remade a white dress that was fitted at the bodice and waist, had poofy sleeves, and had an embroidered trim (it was very pretty.)  Based upon age, Myrtle wanted me to wear “anklet socks”  with this outfit, however, my body looked like I was 18, I was mortified!  I actually went to Mom and told her I needed to be wearing “nylons” with my dress.  Mom actually gave in and I got to wear “nylons” with my Easter dress.  It’s hard to believe, but I got my way.  (I don’t think Myrtle was thrilled, but that’s the way some things just happen.)  My Mom over ruled my “other Mom, Myrtle.)  I love you both the same!

 

Love,

Sister, Aunt, Great Aunt, Vickie 

POSTSCRIPT:  THIS BLOG NEEDS TO CONTINUE FOR ONE YEAR, SO WE HIT MEMORIES FROM EACH SEASON OF OUR LIVES…THE TIME OF YEAR MAKES YOU REMEMBER DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT OUR LIVES…JUST A THOUGHT!

Grandpa Cox at the fair

It was July of 1971 or 1972, Great Uncle Anon came and stayed with us for 2 weeks.  Grandpa and Grandma Cox came down to visit us in Washington Court House, Ohio.  The Fayette County fair was going on.  Uncle Tom Pat and Aunt Sharon Maynard met us all there.  Aunt Sharon dared Grandpa Cox to ride on the super loop.  Well, he was not going to let her call him a chicken.  So they got on the ride, they were hollaring and screaming.  My dad (Carl), mom(Joyce), Tom Pat, Grandma, Uncle Anon and all of us kids were at the bottom laughing.  When the ride went upside down, Grandpa Cox’s dentures, cigarettes, lighter, and wallet all fell on the ground.  When they got off the ride, the guy had to keep everybody off the ride until Grandpa Cox could collect all his things.  The only thing he had a problem finding was his teeth.  They fell into somebody’s lemon shake that was standing there wondering what all the hupla was about.  Because we had such a crowd of people watching those 2 on that ride.  When Grandpa and Aunt Sharon got off the ride, She was puking and he was dizzy.  But it was such a hoot!!  Everybody had such a good time!!!

First time mowing on a riding mower!

I remember Grandpa Cox being parked in the drive way of our house when the school bus would pull up.  He would show up on Friday afternoon’s and pick me up.  He would secretly call my Dad(Carl) the night before.  He did this about every other weekend.  I would run straight over to the car, except he would be in the house,  I would then run in the door yelling, “GRANDPA ARE YOU READY TO GO”.  Mom would always make us change out of our school clothes before we did anything.  I would not only change my clothes but I would also come out of my bedroom with my packed bag.  Cara Leta would never go, and Cassie wasn’t born until 1974.  So I thought it was GREAT!!  Every weekend that I got to go Grandpa’s he would mow his yard.  He would let me ride with him.  Then he got nervy and one day he let me mow.  This was out at the Cornstalk house.  Dad would always call when he got home from work on Friday night and say that he would pick me up on Saturday.  But if Dad had to do a side job I knew I wasn’t going home until after the big family dinner that Grandma would make on Sunday.  Anyway, I thought, “OH BOY!! I get to mow”.  Of course, Grandpa’s mower had the old clutch, so I would kill it when I would take off, so he would get it going and hop off.  This was my very first time mowing by myself.  Well, I would get done mowing, park the mower up by the house and run inside.  Grandpa and I would sit down on the couch and watch roller derby.  Grandma Goldie would sit there with us.  We always ended up playing a game of Sorry.  Well, Grandpa took the cellophane off of something.  I don’t remember what, but anyway he gave it to me and told me to go throw away the trash he had in his hand.  So I took it and threw it away.  I came skipping back into the room and grandpa looked at me real funny.  I said what are you looking at?  He said did you throw that away?  I said yes that’s what you told me to do.  He just started laughing.  He said you better go look again.  So I went running back in the kitchen and looked in the trash can.  Low and behold there was a $5.00 bill laying in the trash can.  WOW!!  I GOT PAID FOR MOWING GRANDPA’S YARD.  He thought that was hilarious.  So everytime I mow even now that I am 44 years old, I think of him and smile.

Carla Jo’s Junior prom dress

I remember my dad(Carl) would drop me off at Martha’s house when he would got to work.  One day, Martha, Grandma Goldie, Richard, and I all went to the Dayton Mall.  We pushed Richard all around the mall in his stroller.  We went into Elder-Beerman’s where I saw at that time the most beautiful prom dress. It was all pink lace.  Martha made me try it on so we would know what size to tell mom.  I thought that was huge!!  Only, the next huge hurdle was mom letting me have it.  Of course, a prom dress with that slightly high price tag was my only worry.  My mom(Joyce) wasn’t worried about the price tag, she was worried about the dress having satin spaghetti straps.  Of all the things that never crossed my mind.  It still had a little lace jacket, but mom just had a fit about the straps.  Needless to say, we got the dress, but Martha had to help me out by talking my mom into getting that dress.  Thanks, Aunt Martha!!!