William ‘Bill’ Cox

William Fay “Bill” Cox died Feb. 9, 2024, at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City. A memorial service was held, Monday, Feb. 12, at the Kingfisher First United Methodist Church with Rev. Dr. Jennifer Long officiating.

Bill was born Sept. 17, 1937, in Allerton, Iowa, to Ernest Fay and Ruth Elnora (Michael) Cox.

Bill graduated from Seymour High School in 1955.

On Nov. 2, 1958, Bill Cox and Eleanor Darrah were married in the Methodist Church in Millerton, Iowa.

They lived the first part of their married life and raised their children in Seymour, Iowa, until Bill’s employment with the Rock Island Railroad brought them to Okarche in 1977.

Bill retired from the Union Pacific Railroad as a signal manager after 43 years of service.

Bill was so proud that he was a third-generation railroader with four family members working for the railroad. They had 177 years of combined service with the railroad.

He was a member of the Kingfisher First United Methodist Church, Okarche Lions Club and enjoyed fishing and hunting.

Bill is survived by his wife, Eleanor, of the home in Okarche; daughters Cheryl Dawn (Rusty) Kirkland of Centerville, Iowa, and Darlene (Rick) Osterholt of Okarche; brother Thomas (Linda) Cox of Unionville, Mo.; sisters Margaret Brandenberg of Delmar, Iowa, and Kathryn (Gary) Lord of Tucson, Ariz.; three grandchildren, Stephen Osterholt, Shelley (Steven) Kaster, and Derek (April) Kirkland; seven great-grandchildren, Riley, Shelbey, Paislee and Avery Osterholt, Aiden and Rylan Kaster, and Kacer Kirkland; in-laws Dean and Reva Lain and Richard and Sue Darrah; and a number of nieces and nephews.

His parents and siblings Gene Cox, Jim Cox and Ruth Clark preceded him in death.

An additional service will be held Saturday, Feb. 17, in Seymour, Iowa. Burial will follow in the Livingston Cemetery in Cincinnati, Iowa, under the direction of Thomas Funeral Home in Centerville, Iowa.

Local arrangements are by Huber-Benson Funeral Home, El Reno.

The family requests that donations be made to the Kingfisher First United Methodist Church Youth Camp Scholarship or to a charity of your choice.