Edda N Cox

Edda Cox

Manti, Utah

Edda Davis Cox, 89, beloved mother, grandmother, sister and daughter passed away peacefully at the home of her daughter in Taylorsville, Utah surrounded by her family, on July 7, 2014. Edda was born on January 2, 1925 at her grandmother’s home in Cardston, Alberta, Canada to Clifford Eli "Doc" and Floss LaVerne Newby Davis. She was the third child and first daughter of six. She immigrated with her family to the United States in 1933 and settled in Spokane, Washington. She learned to work early in her life to help support her family, waiting tables at the café and cleaning at the nursing home. Edda graduated from Lewis & Clark High School in 1943.

Edda met her sweetheart at a church function in Spokane, Washington during World War II. After a short courtship, she married Lynn R. Cox on October 11, 1944 in the Cardston, Alberta Temple and rode the train back to Spokane that night. Together they moved to Lynn’s childhood home in Manti after the war. Edda quickly went to work helping to run the family business at the Manti Garage and later with the Cox Oil Company until retirement in 1979. She was thrifty and worked to help provide for a growing family. She sewed many dresses and coats, raised a big garden where she canned the produce for later use. She taught her family about service with many unknown acts of kindness like a fresh bowl of applesauce or a rice pudding to the elderly and those in need in town. She was observant to those in need and wanted her children to be that way as well.

Edda was found helping in the Mutual Improvement Association the first year the Mormon Miracle Pageant was held in the Sanpete County Fair Grounds, changing costumes and scenery and then the next year when it moved up to the temple grounds. After that came the big service. There was no place in Manti that could handle the crowds as the pageant increased in popularity and attendance. Edda put her great organizing skills to work and started the food stands around the area. For nearly 10 years, she organized and cooked a ton of hamburger on her patio and used carriers to deliver hamburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, chips, brownies, cookies and cold drinks to the food stands around the area. Her organization skills were unsurpassed.

Edda was active in local and civic organizations including American Legion Auxiliary where she served on local, district and state positions, the Ladies Literary Club supporting the library, Daughters of the Utah Pioneers and her Activity Club. When her son was diagnosed with polio she worked many years in the March of Dimes Association. She was one of the founding couples in the 40 MET and ET group that came together after the couples came home from the war and is still going today over 60 years later. She worked in PTA and 4-H supporting her children. She had many callings in the LDS Church and loved teaching to gospel to the Primary age children. She served faithfully in the Manti Temple as an ordinance worker.

In her retirement years, Edda would be found on work missions to help her children and grandchildren, with moves and organizing their homes. She loved to piece and either quilt or tie quilts and there is a pile of baby quilts waiting at her home for future great grand babies. She made many quilts for the Humanitarian Center and for Humanitarian Projects.

Edda is survived by her five children: BethAnn (Bruce), Manti; Carol (Laden), Murray; Charles (Dean), Provo; Colleen (Due), Taylorsville; and Marian (Paul), Brigham City; 19 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter; brother, Clinton (Carmen) Davis; sister-in-law, Ruby Davis; brother-in-law, Galen Cox; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Proceeded in death by her husband Lynn; her parents; siblings: Carroll Davis, Hugh Davis, Bethany Davis and Verna Wolfram.

Special thanks to BethAnn and Colleen for the many hours of care, to Silvered Hospice, At Home Health Care and Hospice and Wade Anderson PA for all their kindness and care.

Graveside services and interment will be held for family and close friends on Wednesday, July 16, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. in the Manti Cemetery. Friends may call at the Manti 2 ^nd Ward, 295 South Main Street from 10:00 am to 12 Noon. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti. Online guestbook at www.maglebymortuary.com