Dennis Cox

Dennis Cox, age 70, of Thomson, Illinois, died Friday, April 19, 2013 at home after a brief illness. A funeral service will be held 6:00 p.m. Monday, April 22, 2013 at the Law-Jones Funeral Home, Thomson. Visitation will be held 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Monday, prior to the service at the Funeral Home.
Dennis was born March 27, 1943 in Springfield, Illinois, the son of McKinley and Mary (Bastine) Cox. He served in the United States Navy as a Gunner’s Mate aboard many different battleships for twenty years, retiring in 1980. He was part of the forces during the Cuban Missile Crisis. On August 15, 1980, Dennis married Judy Whitmore. They celebrated thirty-two years of marriage.
He enjoyed the outdoors, especially fishing, camping and playing bean-bag games. He also liked playing cards with family, and was a car fanatic. Dennis was a member of the Savanna Moose Lodge and the Savanna VFW Post#2223. Dennis also owned and operated Salem Auto Mart in Salem, Arkansas and Cox’s Used Cars in Thomson for over twenty years.
Dennis is survived by his wife, Judy of Thomson; two sons, Rick (Susan) Walker of Stoneham, Massachusetts and Stacy (Laura) Kessler of Greenback, Tennessee; three daughters, Barb (Gary) Tiesman of Clinton, Iowa, Vickie (Bob) Foltz of Clinton and Lori (Kevin) Law of Savanna; twelve grandchildren; eighteen great grandchildren; his mother, Mary Cox of Auburn, Illinois; a brother, Chester Cox of Virden, Illinois; and a sister, Barbara Yazell of Slidell, Louisiana. Dennis is preceded in death by his father, McKinley and a brother, Kenneth