John R. Cox, 79, of Rogersville, passed away peacefully in Missouri Veterans Home, Mt. Vernon, MO on Friday, April 1, 2016.

He was preceded in death by his parents Wendell F Cox and Marie Ellis Cox and a brother Kevin Cox. He is survived by one sister Mary Jo Greene and husband Mike; two brothers James Cox and wife Kathy and David Cox all of Branson, MO; three sons, K Christopher Cox and wife Tressia, Georgetown IN, Jeffrey D Cox and companion Ola Neubrrger-Wilk, Hutchinson, KS, James M Cox and wife Debbie  Battlefield, MO; two daughters Shelly R Cox, Springfield, MO, Leslie L Cox, Springfield, MO; seven grandchildren Kristen Myers and husband Tanner, Erik, Katelyn, Brendan, Ashton, Hunter  and Canyon Cox; one great grandson, Rhys Myers; two stepdaughters Joan Highfill and husband Craig, Amy Rees and husband Robert; four step grandchildren, Zachary and Kaitlin Strauch and Adam and Jacob Highfill.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, a Shriner of the Abou Ben Adhem Temple, a longtime, active member of Westminster Presbyterian Church and choir, and a tireless supporter and past president of the Guardians' Association of the Higginsville Habilitation Center in Missouri.

Graveside services with full military honors will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 7, 2016 at Missouri Veterans Cemetery, 5201 S. Southwood Rd., Springfield, under the care of Gorman-Scharpf Bentwood Chapel. A Celebration of Life service will be held Saturday, April 9, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. in Westminster Presbyterian Church.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children or Westminster Presbyterian Church.