Billy Cox

Billy Mason Cox, 89, of Danville, Virginia, went to be with the Lord September 24, 2014. Funeral services will be conducted Monday at 10:00am at First Presbyterian Church with entombment at Danville Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be Sunday 7:30-8:30pm at Townes Funeral Home 215 W. Main St. At other times the family will be at the home of Sandi Pruitt in Yanceyville, NC. Born September 21, 1925, in Daisy, TN, he was the middle son of Roy Earl Cox and Sallie Roberts Cox. He served for two and a half years in the U.S. Navy Air Transport Squadron transporting wounded servicemen and medical supplies until the end of WWII. He served in the Philippines and Australia and was honorably discharged in 1946. He married Catherine Eugenia Campbell of Gadsden, AL and earned a B.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alabama. He was employed for 34 years by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, first as Assistant Chief Engineer in Gadsden, Alabama and later as Chief Engineer in Danville, Virginia. After retiring in 1986, he worked for International Executive Service Corps (IESC) as an engineering consultant for rubber companies in India and Sri Lanka. Mr. Cox served from 1989-2001 as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Danville Regional Medical Center, was a member of the Danville Kiwanis Club and served on the Board for the Danville YMCA. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Danville where he was a deacon. He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge. Mr. Cox was an ardent fan of Alabama football and loved the words "Roll Tide." He was an enthusiastic golfer and was an honored member of the Danville Golf Club serving a term as its president. He enjoyed many years of wins at Virginia Seniors Golf Association. As a golfer and engineer, he was asked to design the course at the Danville Goodyear plant and the lake on the course was named in his honor. Mr. Cox was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 44 years, Catherine Campbell Cox; granddaughter Meagan Michelle Sheheane (AL); brother Carlos Melton Cox (TN); and son-in-law Pete Pruitt (Danville). He is survived by his devoted daughters Melinda Cox Storey (David) of Birmingham, AL; Sandra Cox Pruitt of Yanceyville, NC; Nancy Cox Tarrance (Steve) of Birmingham, AL. He is also survived by seven grandchildren; Chris Sheheane (Dana) and Kyle Sheheane of Birmingham; Laura Pruitt of San Francisco; Shelly Pruitt Switick (Matt) of Kernersville, NC; Mason Pruitt of Danville; Katie Tarrance and Courtney Tarrance of Birmingham. He has two great grandchildren Caldwell Alan Sheheane and Claire Sheheane. He is also survived by one brother, John Robert Cox of Ringgold, GA. Mr. Cox's legacy of calm integrity, faith, family and friends will be remembered by all with whom he shared life so graciously. Memorials may be made to the American Diabetic Association.