Donald Norman (Don) Cox

A proud American veteran, loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather passed away on August 11, 2015. Don was born in Granite City, IL on November 18, 1921, the son of Norman and Ida Cox. Don grew up on the Mississippi River tracing the footsteps of his boyhood heroes, Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. Don was a Boy Scout and attended the National Jamboree in Washington DC in 1937. He was an adult scout volunteer when his sons were scouts. Don served in WWII in the 1886th Aviation Engineer Battalion as an Army Engineer constructing airfields on Okinawa and Guam. He displayed his American flag every day until his passing. Don moved to New Mexico from Detroit in 1955, with his wife and family, to work in the defense industry at Sandia Labs as a Mechanical Engineer. He retired from Sandia in 1990. He had a lifelong interest in drawing, painting, designing and building things. Don constructed his own house in Sandia Park. He was a Mason, a Knight of Columbus and a member of the VFW. He enjoyed traveling and savoring a beautiful day on his back porch. Don was a volunteer fireman and loved square dancing with Phyllis, his wife of 64 years. Don is preceded in death by Phyllis and their son James. Don is survived by four children, sons Michael (wife, Ellen) and Daniel (wife, Chris); daughters Ranjit Khalsa and Susan Cox-Foster (husband, Jerry); eight grandchildren; grandsons, Sat Darshan Khalsa (wife, Fatehpal), Donnie Cox, Lt, USN, Harimandir Khalsa, Benjamin Cox and Timothy Cox; granddaughters, Dr. Katie Beth Cox, Guru Shabd Khalsa, Emmie Cox, United States Coast Guard Academy; and great-grandson Amrit Hari Khalsa. A rosary and mass will be held on Tuesday, August 18, 2015 9:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. at Holy Child Church in Tijeras. A joint memorial will be held for Don and Phyllis on Wednesday, August 19, 2015, 10:00 a.m. at FRENCH - Lomas. Don will be interred at Santa Fe National Cemetery with Military Honors at 2:15 p.m. Donations in lieu of flowers, may be made to the Boy Scouts of America, Great Southwest Council, 5841 Office Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109.