Rev. Canon James Cox
Obituary for Rev. Canon James Cox | Ryan Mortuary
October 2, 1934 ~ September 28, 2021 (age 86)
Rev. Canon SSC James Richard Cox, affectionately known as “Father Jim,” died peacefully on 9/28/21 surrounded by family.
Father Jim is survived by his children Michael (Cindy) Cox, Patrick (Teresa) Cox, Rachael (Mark) Hoffman, James (Michelle) Cox, sister Dixie (Greg) Green along with numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth and sister Charlotte Couch.
Father Jim was born on 10/2/1934 in Garden City, Kansas. He moved with his family to Pueblo when he was younger and eventually to Canon City, Colorado as a junior, where he graduated from high school in 1952.
Father Jim joined the Army right out of high school and after discharge, he used the GI bill to complete his education at University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, earning a bachelor of arts.
After graduation, Jim taught junior high school and got involved in the teacher’s union, which then took him to Washington D.C. with his family. After that, Jim started working for the federal government where he worked for “Volunteers In Service To America” (VISTA) and then moved to Austin, Texas where he was the Southwest Regional Director. After his resignation from the government, he went to work for international consulting firms in the United States and Europe. Father Jim met and then married Ruth Detter on July 20, 1977 in Kansas City, MO. They were married 40 years until the time of her death in 2017.
Following a dream, Jim attended the Nashotah House Theological Seminary in Nashotah, Wisconsin. Jim was ordained on 11/30/1990 by the Right Rev. John Forsythe Ashby D.D., Bishop of Western Kansas as the Rev Canon SSC James Cox. Father Jim accepted a position as the chaplain and a history teacher at St. John’s Military Academy in Salina, Kansas, making a difference in the lives of numerous young men now scattered across the United States and beyond. Father Jim also provided spiritual services at numerous Episcopal churches in Kansas to include the Bennington Episcopal Church and was named the Provost for Christ Cathedral of the Episcopal Church in Salina.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Christ Cathedral at 138 S. 8th Street in Salina, Kansas at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 2, 2021.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be provided to Christ Cathedral for the “Welcome Table.” Please make checks payable to Christ Cathedral.
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