John H. Cox, III

Like many of the heroes (especially John Wayne) in the cowboy shows he loved to watch, John ?- or ?Pop,? as he was known by most?was the strong, silent type ?a man who was a hero by definition but who lived to love, help, and serve others. Born John H. Cox III on August 7, 1931, in Knoxville, TN, to the late John H. Jr. and Nola R. Cox, John was a down-home country boy through and through. From his love of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits and gravy, banana pudding, and country music of old, John was a ?Southern Gentleman? in the truest sense. He loved friends and family with every breath of his being, and if you were in need of anything, Pop would get it for you?even if it meant working 2 jobs or 7 days a week to get it. In the late 1940?s, John attended St. Pete High School in St. Petersburg, FL, and then Plant High School in Tampa, FL, where he excelled in Math and played football. He joined the US Army, at the age of 17, with a tour of duty in Europe. Upon return from Europe, he fell in love with ?the girl next door,? Barbara Burnett, who ?was a darling and had a smile for everything!? They started a lifetime adventure that spanned 54 years.ÿ John loved many things, but his first love was the Florida Highway Patrol. At the age of 12, John decided he wanted to be a policeman, a dream that became a reality in 1957, when he became a trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol, serving the citizens of Florida for 36 « years. Before retiring as an FHP Lieutenant in 1993, John covered limitless miles with Troop D on the highways of Clermont and Orlando and with Troop K on the Florida Turnpike. His favorite memories of life as a trooper were when he met country singers Brenda Lee and Crystal Gayle. His family?s most significant memory was April of ?61, when he apprehended an escaped parole violator, for which John received the Purple Heart award honoring him for bravery and for being wounded during the line of duty. John and Barbara raised their children ? Jefferey, Michael, and Pamela ? in the town of Clermont, back when it was quaint and small (long before even its first McDonald?s), and all you could see for miles and miles were orange groves. In 2004, John and Barbara moved to another quaint and small town, Narcoossee, a growing community outside the city limits of St. Cloud. This move allowed them to be closer to their children, who live nearby. John died on August 9th, preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Frances Pierce. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, of St. Cloud; his sons, Jeff (Maria) and Mike (Julia), of Orlando; his daughter, Pamela (Mark) Holasek of St. Cloud; his sister, Joyce (Walter P.) Bobbitt of St. Petersburg; his in-laws, Charlene and Frank Harris of St. Cloud; and his grandchildren, Emily Cox of Clermont, Jonathon and Vanessa Villabonaÿ and Cameron Cox of Orlando, and Peyton Reese of St. Cloud. A viewing will be held at Osceola Memory Gardens and Funeral Home at 2000 13th Street in St. Cloud from 6 PM to 9 PM on Thursday, August 13th. ÿJohn?s ?celebration of life? will be held on Friday, August 14th, in the Henry Chapel at the First Baptist Church of Orlando at 3000 S. John Young Parkway, with a viewing at 10 AM, followed by the service at 11 AM.ÿ In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Narcoossee Community Middle School (NCMS) Academic Boosters, 2700 North Narcoossee Road, St. Cloud, FL 34771; the American Lung Association (www.lungusa.org), or the American Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.org).

John H. Cox, III

August 7, 1931 - August 9, 2009